Glutamate transporter associated proteins and methods of use thereof

ABSTRACT

Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins and nucleotide encoding Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins are provided. Also provided is a method for identifying a compound that modulates a cellular response mediated by a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein. A method is further provided for identifying a compound that inhibits an interaction between a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein and a glutamate transporter protein. A method is provided for treating a disorder associated with glutamate transport.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e)(1) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/161,007, filed Oct. 23, 1999, and to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/206,157, filed on May 22, 2000, each herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

STATEMENT AS TO FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

This invention was made with Government support under NS33958 and NS70151, awarded, by the National Institutes of Health (NINDS). The Government may have certain rights in the invention.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to protein-protein interactions and more specifically to Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins involved in mediating glutamate transport, chloride transport and cytoskeletal stability and their association with glutamate transporter proteins.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system, acting on postsynaptic ionotropic glutamate receptors (particularly NMDA and AMPA receptors). In addition, glutamate stimulates a subset of metabotropic glutamate receptors (particularly the group I metabotropic glutamate receptors mGluR1a and mGluR5) concentrated in the postsynaptic membrane. The timely removal of glutamate from the synaptic cleft is critical to preventing desensitization resulting from continued exposure of the postsynaptic receptors to glutamate. Removal of glutamate from the synaptic cleft is mediated by a class of molecules known as glutamate transporter proteins located on surrounding astroglia and neurons. Five distinct, high-affinity, sodium-dependent glutamate transporters have been identified in animal and human central nervous system. Rat GLAST, GLT-1, EAAC1 (EAAT1, EAAT2 and EATT3, respectively, in human), EAAT4 and EAAT5 differ in structure, pharmacological properties and tissue distribution.

Glutamate transport is a sodium- and potassium-coupled process capable of concentrating intracellular glutamate up to 10,000-fold compared with the extracellular environment. The stoichiometry of the process has been studied and at several models exist proposing various ionic exchanges. In one model derived from salamander retinal glial cells, the transport process is coupled to the co-transport of two sodium ions and the counter-transport of one potassium ion and one hydroxyl ion. (Bouvier et al. (1992), Nature 360:471-474). Another model proposes that with EAAC1, one glutamate is co-transported with three sodium ions and one hydrogen ion, with the counter-transport of one potassium ion (Zerangue et al., Nature (1996) 383:634-637). Yet another study suggests that two sodium ions are co-transported with one glutamate molecule (Hart et al., Science (1998) 280:2112-2114).

The cloning of glutamate transporter subtypes and detailed electrophysiological studies of these proteins reveals that glutamate transporters also possess channel-like properties. The conduct chloride flux is not thermodynamically coupled to substrate transport, although at transportable substrate is required for the chloride conductance. The binding of glutamate to the transporter may change its conformational state to form the chloride channel.

In addition to their possible role in development and learning (due to their potential for modulating normal synaptic transmission), the regulation of synaptic glutamate transporters is likely to play an important role in acute and chronic neurological processes. They can be involved through the disruption of synaptic transmission as well as through glutamate mediated excitotoxicity. Several diseases are associated with disruptions in glutamate transport.

Loss of cerebellar Purkinje cell is the hall mark of several inherited neurodegenerative diseases, including the trinucleotide repeat diseases such as spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), and is commonly associated with neurotoxicity of chronic ethanol ingestion, and with certain paraneoplastic neurological disorders. Although the molecular event that initiates the disease is known—a trinucleotide repeat—the cellular mechanisms responsible for Purkinje cell degeneration is not known. The selective loss of glutamate transporters such as EAAT4 could make the protein an attractive candidate for a downstream event.

Similarly, dysregulation of glutamate transporter EAAC1 could also have pathological consequences. EAAC1 has the unusual localization to GABA pre-synaptic terminals. This transport could serve as a precursor transporter, supplying extracellular glutamate for GABA re-synthesis. GABA normally is synthesized, via glutamate amino decarboxylase, from glutamate. The source of this glutamate has been traditionally thought to be cellular glutamate. However, the unique localization of the glutamate transporter to GABA terminals suggests that these transporters supply precurser glutamate for GABA re-synthesis. Thus, EAAC1 could serve as an important step in GABAergic neurotransmission. Modulation of GABAergic metabolism is associated with a number of neurological disorders, including epilepsy, tremors, and spasticity. In addition, some theories of schizophrenia include disturbances of glutamate and GABA metabolism.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for compounds that regulate glutamate transport and in particular, compounds and molecules that interact with glutamate transporter proteins.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a family of proteins that interact with glutamate transporter proteins. Through their interaction with glutamate transporter proteins, Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins modulate glutamate transport, and also effect cytoskeletal organization and stability as well as chloride flux.

In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a substantially pure polypeptide characterized as modulating intracellular glutamate transport, interacting with a glutamate transporter protein, and having an expression pattern in the brain. In addition, the polypeptide can have at least one PDZ domain, at least one regulatory G-protein domain, at lest one pleckstrin homology domain, at least one proline-rich domain and at least one guanine exchange factor domain. The polypeptide can have at least one pleckstrin homology domain, at least one spectrin repeat and at least one α-actinin domain.

In an additional embodiment of the invention, there is provided a substantially pure polypeptide characterized as modulating intracellular glutamate transport; interacting with a glutamate transporter protein; having an expression pattern in neural non-neuronal tissues; having at least one kinase C domains; having four transmembrane domains; and being hydrophobic.

In another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a substantially pure polypeptide having an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6 or conservative variants thereof.

In still another embodiment of the invention, there is provided an isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of: (a) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2; (b) a polynucleotide of (a), wherein T can be U; (c) a polynucleotide complementary to (a) or (b); (d) a polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1; (e) degenerate variants of (a), (b), (c) or (d); and (f) a fragment of (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e) having at least 15 base pairs and hybridizes to a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, there is provided an isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of: (a) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4; (b) a polynucleotide of (a), wherein T can be U; (c) a polynucleotide complementary to (a) or (b); (d) a polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:3; (e) degenerate variants of (a), (b), (c) or (d); and (e) a fragment of (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e) having at least 15 base pairs and hybridizes to a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4.

In still another embodiment of the invention, there is provided an isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of: (a) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:6; (b) a polynucleotide of (a), wherein T can be U; (c) a polynucleotide complementary to (a) or (b); (d) a polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:5; (e) degenerate variants of (a), (b), (c) or (d); and (f) a fragment of (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e) having at least 15 base pairs and hybridizes to a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:6.

In still a further embodiment of the invention, there is provided an antibody that binds to a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein or binds to immunoreactive fragments thereof. The antibody can be polyclonal or monoclonal.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, there is provided an expression vector comprising a polynucleotide encoding Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein, e.g., SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5, or complementary nucleotides thereof and fragments thereof. The vectors can be virus derived or plasmid derived.

In another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for producing a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide by culturing a host cell containing a nucleotide encoding a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein under conditions suitable for the expression of the polypeptide and recovering the polypeptide from the host cell culture.

In another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a substantially pure polypeptide that interacts with the amino acid sequence QEAELTLP (SEQ ID NO:9) or amino acid sequence GRGGNESVM (SEQ ID NO:10).

In still another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a substantially pure polypeptide that interacts with the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:12.

In still another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a substantially pure polypeptide that interacts with the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:13.

In an addition embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for identifying a compound that modulates a cellular response mediated by a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein. The method includes incubating the compound with a cell expressing a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein and a glutamate transporter protein under conditions sufficient to permit the components to interact and comparing a cellular response in the cell incubated with the compound with the cellular response of a cell not incubated with the compound.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for identifying a compound that inhibits an interaction between a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein and a glutamate transporter protein. The method includes contacting a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein with a glutamate transporter protein in the presence of the compound and comparing the formation of a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein-glutamate transporter protein complex in the presence of the compound with a formation of the complex in the absence of the compound.

In still another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a transgenic non-human animal having a transgene that expresses a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein chromosomally integrated into the germ cells of the animal. An embodiment of the invention provides a method for producing such transgenic animals.

In another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a computer readable medium having stored thereon a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5 and sequences substantially identical thereto, or a polypeptide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6 and sequences substantially identical thereto.

In another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a computer system comprising a processor and a data storage device wherein said data storage device has stored thereon a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5 and sequences substantially identical thereto, or a polypeptide sequence selected from the group consisting SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6 and sequences substantially identical thereto.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for comparing a first sequence to a reference sequence wherein said first sequence is a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5 and sequences substantially identical thereto, or a polypeptide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6 and sequences substantially identical thereto. The method comprises reading the first sequence and the reference sequence through use of a computer program which compares sequences, and determining differences between the first sequence and the reference sequence with the computer program.

In yet another embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for identifying a feature in a sequence wherein the sequence is selected from the group consisting of a nucleic acid sequence SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5 sequences substantially identical thereto, or a polypeptide sequence SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6 and sequences substantially identical thereto. The method includes reading the sequence through the use of a computer program which identifies features in sequences and identifying features in the sequences with the computer program.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B show schematic representations of GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48, respectively.

FIG. 2 shows overlapping deletion mutants of the carboxy terminus of EAAT4 used to identify domains interacting with GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48.

FIG. 3A shows the effect of GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 on sodium-dependent glutamate uptake in transfected HEK-rEAAT4 cells. FIG. 3B shows kinetic data which demonstrates that GTRAP4-41, in the presence of EAAT4, increases the V_(max) of glutamate uptake.

FIG. 4A shows the effect of GTRAP3-18 on sodium-dependent glutamate transport in transfected HEK-293 cells. FIG. 4B shows that the effect of GTRAP3-18 on EAAC1-mediated glutamate transport is specific.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show the effect of Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins (GTRAPs) on glutamate transporter protein expression.

FIGS. 6A-C show the effect of GTRAPs on glutamate transporter protein activity.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show the interaction between GTRAP4-48 and RhoGEF.

FIGS. 8A-C show the effects of GTRAP3-18 antisense oligonucleotide on glutamate transport.

FIGS. 9A-E show the effect of retinoic acid on GTRAP3-18-mediated glutamate transport.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a computer system, data retrieving device and display.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of process 200 for comparing a new nucleotide or protein sequence with a database of sequences in order to determine the homology levels between the new sequence and the sequences in the database.

FIG. 12 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a process 250 in a computer for determining whether two sequences are homologous.

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a process 300 for comparing features in polynucleotide and polypeptide sequences.

FIG. 14 (A-C) shows a nucleic acid sequence of a polynucleotide encoding GTRAP4-41 (SEQ ID NO:1).

FIG. 15 shows an amino acid sequence of GTRAP4-41 (SEQ ID NO:2).

FIG. 16 (A and B) shows a nucleic acid sequence of a polynucleotide encoding GTRAP4-48 (SEQ ID NO:3).

FIG. 17 shows an amino acid sequence of GTRAP4-48 (SEQ ID NO:4).

FIG. 18 shows a nucleic acid sequence of a polynucleotide encoding GTRAP3-18 (SEQ ID NO:5).

FIG. 19 shows an amino acid sequence of GTRAP3-18 (SEQ ID NO:6).

FIG. 20 (A and B) shows a nucleic acid sequence of a polynucleotide encoding PCTAIRE-1 (SEQ ID NO:7).

FIG. 21 shows an amino acid sequence of PCTAIRE-1a (SEQ ID NO:8).

FIG. 22 shows an amino acid sequence of PCTAIRE1b (SEQ ID NO:22).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The identification of molecules regulating the transport of neurotransmitters is central to understanding the mechanisms of neural activity, synaptic plasticity and learning. Efficient and rapid removal of neurotransmitters from the synaptic cleft by neurotransmitter transporters is critical to synaptic transmission. Re-uptake of glutamate by glutamate transporters both terminates the synaptic action of glutamate, thereby preventing glutamate-mediated exotoxicity and recaptures glutamate molecules for possible reuse.

Accordingly, one embodiment of the invention provides a substantially pure polypeptide characterized as modulating intracellular glutamate transport, interacting with a glutamate transporter protein and having an expression pattern in the brain. A polypeptide molecule having such characteristics is known as a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein (GTRAP). Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins can be further characterized as having at least one PDZ domain, having at least one regulatory G-protein domain, having at least one pleckstrin homology domain, having at least one proline-rich domain, and having at least one guanine exchange factor domain. Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein can also be characterized as having at least one pleckstrin homology domain, having at least one spectrin repeat, and having at least one α-actinin domain.

Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins modulate glutamate transport. Glutamate transport refers to the active movement of glutamate across a cellular membrane. Glutamate transport is an essential component of central nervous system glutamatergic neurotransmission. For example, glutamate transport is essential in the inactivation of synaptically released glutamate and the prevention of excitotoxicity. The concentration of glutamate is higher in the terminal than in the synaptic cleft, even following neurotransmitter release. Nonetheless, the transporters take up glutamate from the synaptic cleft and transport it into the cell. Glutamate transporters also serve to bring glutamate into the cell for use in cellular metabolism, e.g. provide glutamate for new synthesis of neurotransmitter GABA. GTRAPs associated with some types of glutamate transporter protein, for example, glutamate transporter protein EAAT4, stimulate glutamate transport. GTRAPs associated with other types of glutamate transporter proteins, for example, EAAC1, inhibit glutamate transport. While not wishing to be bound to any one mechanism, the modulation in transport appears to be effected through a change in Vmax or a change in Km (see Examples section). Glutamate transporter proteins can signal messages to the cell about transport activities e.g. GTRAP48 activate G-protein signaling].

Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins share several common features. All GTRAPs are able to interact with at least one glutamate transporter protein. Glutamate transporter proteins include GLAST, GLT-1, EAAC1, EAAT1, EAAT2, EAAT3, EAAT4 and EAAT5. Glutamate transporters share over 50% amino acid sequence identity with each other, and display almost identical hydrophobic profiles including six prominent hydrophobic peaks, followed by a small hydrophobic peak and long hydrophobic stretch. The proteins are generally 500 to 600 amino acids in length, with high conservation of sequence in the transmembrane domain. The carboxyl and amino terminal domains are intracellular and have the least sequence conservation among all transporters. Less is known about the genomic structure of the transporter proteins. The glutamate transporter family is quite distinct in structure from the 12 transmembrane α-helix arrangement of another sodium- and chloride-dependent transporter family related to dopamine and serotonin transport. The glutamate transporter family transports L-glutamate, D-aspartate and L-aspartate and some other acidic amino acids such as threo-β-hydroxyaspartate (THA) and cysteate. However, the transporters display distinct properties in substrate or inhibitor selectivity, e.g. dihydrokainate is a specific inhibitor of GLT-1 and EAAC1 transports cysteine with much higher affinity than the other transporters. Various studies have suggested that transporters may form homomultimers, perhaps dimers, but physiological transport may only require monomers of the protein.

Immunohistochemical studies show that GLAST and GLT-1 (EAAT1 and EAAT2) are localized primarily in astrocytes. In the adult CNS, GLT-1 is widely distributed throughout the brain and spinal cord in astroglial cell bodies and processes, while GLAST protein is localized in glial cells of cerebellar molecular and granule cell layers, and in some astroglia throughout the brain Double labeling post-embedding electron microscopic immunocytochemistry shows the two glial transporters, GLT-1 and GLAST, expressed in the same cell membrane. Each protein forms oligomeric complexes but GLT-1 and GLAST may not complex with each other. Antisense knock-down studies show that these two glial transporters are responsible for over 80% of glutamate uptake in the brain, an observation later confirmed in GLT-1 null mice. Quantitative immunoblotting and electron microscopy indicate that the glial transporters are quite abundant; GLAST and GLT-1 respectively, are 2300 and 8500 molecules per μm² in CA1 hippocampus membrane, and 4700 and 740 molecules per μm² in the cerebellar molecular layer.

Developmental studies reveal differential expression of GLT-1 and GLAST mRNA and protein. Initially expression of GLAST predominates throughout the CNS, followed by a shift in expression to the cerebellum, whereas GLT-1 expression remains throughout most of the CNS. A dramatic up-regulation of GLT-1 gene expression at post-natal day 14 coincides with the post-natal development of glutamatergic transmission in the cortex.

GLT-1 mRNA and protein can, under certain conditions be found in neurons, e.g. cultured hippocampal neurons. Transiently localized GLT-1 on growing axons and axon pathways can also be detected. Additional studies in models of ischemic brain injury and in fetal ovine brain suggest rare neuronal expression of GLT-1 as well.

EAAC1 and EAAT4 are neuronal transporters. EAAC1 immunoreactivity is particularly high in regions such as the hippocampus, cerebellum and basal ganglia. It is widely distributed in neurons such as large cortical pyramidal neurons, and is also present in non-glutamatergic neurons including GABAergic cerebellar Purkinje cells. Ultra-structural studies suggest that EAAC1 is not a presynaptic transporter of glutamatergic neurons. In fact, EAAC1 appears to be primarily localized in the somatodendritic compartment, and is already expressed at stages preceding synaptic contact formation. Rarely, EAAC1 is found in pre-synaptic terminals, which are always inhibitory (e.g GABAergic). Ultra structurally, EAAC1 is present in dendrites and somas. Detailed EM-gold studies of synapses indicate that the protein is most often peri-synaptic in location, like EAAT4. EAAC1 is also widely expressed outside the central nervous system, so it may serve metabolic functions in neurons. For example, it may provide glutamate for resynthesis of GABA in GABAergic terminals, where the protein has been localized (Rothstein, et al. (1994) Neuron 13:713-725, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety). In fact, studies using antisense oligonucleotides to inhibit EAAC1 suggest that this transporter may, in part, regulate GABA synthesis.

EAAT4 is largely expressed in the cerebellum with very faint levels of expression in hippocampus, neocortex, striatum, brain stem and thalamus, in both the adult human and rat CNS. EAAT4 is present at low concentrations in the synaptic membrane, but is highly enriched in the parts of the dendritic and spine membranes facing astrocytes. A functional relationship may exist between EAAT4 and the glial transporters, and that EAAT4, having a prominent Cl⁻-channel property, may function as a combined transporter and inhibitory glutamate receptor. The average density of EAAT4 protein in the Purkinje cell membrane has been calculated to be 1800 molecules per μ². Immunohistochemical as well as immunoblot analysis demonstrates that during development EAAT4 protein is expressed in the human cerebellum both pre- and post-natally, while its expression in the frontal cortex is restricted to fetal stages. In the cerebellum, Purkinje cells show faint EAAT4 immunoreactivity at gestation week 17. However, EAAT4 expression becomes increasingly intense from gestation week 23 to the infantile period. After the late infantile period, EAAT4 immunoreactivity shows the same pattern as in adults. The intracellular localization of EAAT4 also changes with development. In the early embryonic period, EAAT immunoreactivity is found in the short processes of the Purkinje cells, while in the late fetal to early infantile periods, EAAT4 immunoreactivity is found in the cell bodies and dendrites, and in the late infantile period, it is found in the spines.

Glutamate transporters and glutamate receptors are compartmentalized in and around the synaptic cleft and proteins capable of glutamate receptor membrane targeting and the epitopes responsible for these events are known. For example, three cytoplasmic molecules have been recently identified which bind to the final eight amino acids in the C-terminus of GluR2 and GluR3, but not to GluR1 or NR1. These molecules, named GRIP and ABP are all synaptically localized in the hippocampus and contain one or more PDZ domains, protein binding motifs of between 70 and 90 amino acids which have recently been implicated in the localization of other highly regulated proteins. None of these molecules interacts or regulates glutamate transporters.

Several studies document a role for neurons in modulating the expression and activity of glutamate transporters. Pathway lesion studies suggest that neurons can influence the astroglial (but not neuronal) expression of glutamate transporter subtypes. This has been validated in vitro, where astroglial (EAAT2) expression in cultured astrocytes appears to depend on neurons most likely secreted factors, including glutamate itself. In fact, a number of trophic factors that modulate EAAT2 expression in various in vitro preparations have been identified. Protein kinase C phosphorylation of EAAT2 (GLT-1) has also been found to stimulate transport. Transporters can also be directly regulated through other signaling pathways. Activity of EAAC1 (and GABA and serotonin transporters) can be regulated through expression at the cell surface, via regulated cellular trafficking, occurring in part through protein kinase C and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathways.

Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins have an expression pattern in brain tissue. Immunofluorescence staining of brain tissue reveals a pattern of GTRAP immunoreactivity in brain tissue. Prominent immunolocalization is observed in the cerebellar cortex, especially in Purkinje cell somas and dendrites with no axonal localization. Expression is also observed in other brain regions including striatum, hippocampus and thalamus.

Expression of certain Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins is observed outside the brain. For example, GTRAP3-18 is expressed in the liver, kidney, heart, muscle as well as in the central nervous system.

Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins can include at least one PDZ domain, at least one regulatory G-protein domain, at least one pleckstrin homology domain (PH), at least one proline-rich domain, at least one guanine exchange factor domain (Db1), at least one spectrin repeat and at least one α-actinin domain. Methods to identify such domains are known to those of skill in the art. For example, computer programs that compare invention nucleic acid and amino acid sequences to nucleic acid and amino acid sequences, and identify regions of homology can be used to identify such domains.

Exemplary Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins of the invention include sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6 and conservative variants thereof. The terms “conservative variation” and “substantially similar” as used herein denotes the replacement of an amino acid residue by another, biologically similar residue. Examples of conservative variations include the substitution of one hydrophobic residue such as isoleucine, valine, leucine or methionine for another, or the substitution of one polar residue for another, such as the substitution of arginine for lysine, glutamic acid for aspartic acid, or glutamine for asparagine, and the like. The terms “conservative variation” and “substantially similar” also include the use of a substituted amino acid in place of an unsubstituted parent amino acid provided that antibodies raised to the substituted polypeptide also immunoreact with the unsubstituted polypeptide.

Also contemplated by the invention are polypeptides that share at least 90% sequence homology to the polypeptide sequences set forth as SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4 and SEQ ID NO:6. Sequence homology can be determined by those of skill in the art, for example, by computer programs that compare sequences such as Blast.

Exemplary polynucleotides encoding a Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins are set forth as SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:7. The term “polynucleotide”, “nucleic acid”, “nucleic acid sequence”, or “nucleic acid molecule” refers to a polymeric form of nucleotides at least 10 bases in length. By “isolated polynucleotide” is meant a polynucleotide that is not immediately contiguous with both of the coding sequences with which it is immediately contiguous (one on the 5′ end and one on the 3′ end) in the naturally occurring genome of the organism from which it is derived. The term therefore includes, for example, a recombinant DNA which is incorporated into a vector; into an autonomously replicating plasmid or virus; or into the genomic DNA of a prokaryote or eukaryote, or which exists as a separate molecule (e.g. a cDNA) independent of other sequences. The nucleotides of the invention can be deoxyribonucleotides, ribonucleotides in which uracil (U) is present in place of thymine (T), or modified forms of either nucleotide. The nucleotides of the invention can be complementary to the deoxynucleotides or to the ribonucleotides. A polynucleotide encoding a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein includes “degenerate variants”, sequences that are degenerate as a result of the genetic code. There are 20 natural amino acids, most of which are specified by more than one codon. Therefore, all degenerate nucleotide sequences are included in the invention as long as the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO;3, SEQ ID NO:5 or SEQ ID NO:7 is functionally unchanged.

A nucleic acid molecule encoding a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein includes sequences encoding functional Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptides as well as functional fragments thereof. As used herein, the term “functional polypeptide” refers to a polypeptide which possesses biological function or activity which is identified through a defined functional assay, and which is associated with a particular biologic, morphologic, or phenotypic alteration in the cell. The term “functional fragments of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein,” refers to fragments of a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein that retain a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein activity, e.g., the ability to interact with a glutamate transporter protein, modulate intracellular glutamate transport, and the like. Additionally, functional Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein fragments may act as competitive inhibitors of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein binding to a glutamate transporter protein, for example. Biologically functional fragments can vary in size from a polypeptide fragment as small as an epitope capable of binding an antibody molecule to a large polypeptide capable of participating in the characteristic induction or programming of phenotypic changes within a cell. Nucleotide fragments of the invention have at least 15 base pairs and hybridize to a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:8 or SEQ ID NO:22.

Further embodiments of the invention provide isolated polynucleotides, wherein the nucleotide is at least 15 base pairs in length which hybridizes under moderately to highly stringent conditions to DNA encoding a polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 or to DNA encoding a polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4, or SEQ ID NO:6. In nucleic acid hybridization reactions, the conditions used to achieve a particular level of stringency will vary, depending on the nature of the nucleic acids being hybridized. For example, the length, degree of complementarity, nucleotide sequence composition (e.g., GC v. AT content), and nucleic acid type (e.g., RNA v. DNA) of the hybridizing regions of the nucleic acids can be considered in selecting hybridization conditions. An additional consideration is whether one of the nucleic acids is immobilized, for example, on a filter.

An example of progressively higher stringency conditions is as follows: 2×SSC/0.1% SDS at about room temperature (hybridization conditions); 0.2×SSC/0.1% SDS at about room temperature (low stringency conditions); 0.2×SSC/0.1% SDS at about 42° C. (moderately stringent conditions); and 0.1×SSC at about 68° C. (highly stringent conditions). Washing can be carried out using only one of these conditions, e.g., high stringency conditions, or each of the conditions can be used, e.g., for 10-15 minutes each, in the order listed above, repeating any or all of the steps listed. However, as mentioned above, optimal conditions will vary, depending on the particular hybridization reaction involved, and can be determined empirically.

Antibodies of the invention may bind to Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins provided by the invention to prevent normal interactions of Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins. Binding of antibodies to Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein can interfere with for example, glutamate transport, with cytoskeletal stability by interfering with intracellular protein binding, with expression patterns of Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins or with interactions with glutamate transporter proteins. Furthermore, binding of antibodies to Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins can interfere with the localization of glutamate transporter proteins on cellular membranes.

The antibodies of the invention can be used in any subject in which it is desirable to administer in vitro or in vivo immunodiagnosis or immunotherapy. The antibodies of the invention are suited for use, for example, in immunoassays in which they can be utilized in liquid phase or bound to a solid phase carrier. In addition, the antibodies in these immunoassays can be detectably labeled in various ways. Examples of types of immunoassays which can utilize antibodies of the invention are competitive and non-competitive immunoassays in either a direct or indirect format. Examples of such immunoassays are the radioimmunoassay (RIA), the enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and the sandwich (immunometric) assay. Detection of the antigens using the antibodies of the invention can be done utilizing immunoassays which are run in either the forward, reverse, or simultaneous modes, including immunohistochemical assays on physiological samples. Those of skill in the art will know, or can readily discern, other immunoassay formats without undue experimentation.

The term “antibody” as used in this invention includes intact molecules as well as fragments thereof, such as Fab, F(ab′)2, and Fv which are capable of binding to an epitopic determinant present in an invention polypeptide. Such antibody fragments retain some ability to selectively bind with its antigen or receptor.

Methods of making these fragments are known in the art. (See for example, Harlow and Lane, Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York (1988), incorporated herein by reference). Monoclonal antibodies are made from antigen containing fragments of the protein by methods well known to those skilled in the art (Kohler & Milstein, Nature 256:495 (1975); Coligan et al., sections 2.5.1-2.6.7; and Harlow et al., Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, page 726 (Cold Spring Harbor Pub. 1988), which are hereby incorporated by reference. Briefly, monoclonal antibodies can be obtained by injecting mice with a composition comprising an antigen/ligand, verifying the presence of antibody production by analyzing a serum sample, removing the spleen to obtain B lymphocytes, fusing the B lymphocytes with myeloma cells to produce hybridomas, cloning the hybridomas, selecting positive clones that produce antibodies to the antigen, and isolating the antibodies from the hybridoma cultures. Monoclonal antibodies can be isolated and purified from hybridoma cultures by a variety of well-established techniques. Such isolation techniques include affinity chromatography with Protein-A Sepharose, size-exclusion chromatography, and ion-exchange chromatography. See, e.g., Coligan et al., sections 2.7.1-2.7.12 and sections 2.9.1-2.9.3; Barnes et al., “Purification of Immunoglobulin G (IgG)” in Methods In Molecular Biology, VOL. 10, pages 79-104 (Humana Press 1992).

Antibodies which bind to an invention Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide can be prepared using an intact polypeptide or fragments containing small peptides of interest as the immunizing antigen. For example, it may be desirable to produce antibodies that specifically bind to the amino- or carboxyl-terminal domains of an invention polypeptide. For the preparation of polyclonal antibodies, the polypeptide or peptide used to immunize an animal is derived from translated cDNA or chemically synthesized and can be conjugated to a carrier protein, if desired. Commonly used carrier proteins which may be chemically coupled to the immunizing peptide include keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), thyroglobulin, bovine serum albumin (BSA), tetanus toxoid, and the like.

Invention polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies can be further purified, for example, by binding to and elution from a matrix to which the polypeptide or a peptide to which the antibodies were raised is bound. Those of skill in the art will know of various techniques common in the immunology arts for purification and/or concentration of polyclonal antibodies, as well as monoclonal antibodies (See, for example, Coligan, et al., Unit 9, Current Protocols in Immunology, Wiley Interscience, 1994, incorporated herein by reference).

The antibodies of the invention can be bound to many different carriers and used to detect the presence of an antigen comprising the polypeptides of the invention. Examples of well-known carriers include glass, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, dextran, nylon, amylases, natural and modified celluloses, polyacrylamides, agaroses and magnetite. The nature of the carrier can be either soluble or insoluble for purposes of the invention. Those skilled in the art will know of other suitable carriers for binding antibodies, or will be able to ascertain such, using routine experimentation.

There are many different labels and methods of labeling known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Examples of the types of labels which can be used in the present invention include enzymes, radioisotopes, fluorescent compounds, colloidal metals, chemiluminescent compounds, phosphorescent compounds, and bioluminescent compounds. Those of ordinary skill in the art will know of other suitable labels for binding to the antibody, or will be able to ascertain such, using routine experimentation.

Another technique which may also result in greater sensitivity consists of coupling the antibodies to low molecular weight haptens. These haptens can then be specifically detected by means of a second reaction. For example, it is common to use such haptens as biotin, which reacts with avidin, or dinitrophenyl, puridoxal, and fluorescein, which can react with specific antihapten antibodies.

In using the monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies of the invention for the in vivo detection of antigen, e.g., a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein, the detectably labeled antibody is given a dose which is diagnostically effective. The term “diagnostically effective” means that the amount of detectably labeled antibody is administered in sufficient quantity to enable detection of the site having the antigen comprising a polypeptide of the invention for which the antibodies are specific.

The concentration of delectably labeled antibody which is administered should be sufficient such that the binding to those cells having the polypeptide is detectable compared to the background. Further, it is desirable that the detectably labeled antibody be rapidly cleared from the circulatory system in order to give the best target-to-background signal ratio.

As a rule, the dosage of detectably labeled antibody for in vivo treatment or diagnosis will vary depending on such factors as age, sex, and extent of disease of the individual. Such dosages may vary, for example, depending on whether multiple injections are given, antigenic burden, and other factors known to those of skill in the art.

A polynucleotide agent can be contained in a vector, which can facilitate manipulation of the polynucleotide, including introduction of the polynucleotide into a target cell. The vector can be a cloning vector, which is useful for maintaining the polynucleotide, or can be an expression vector, which contains, in addition to the polynucleotide, regulatory elements useful for expressing the polynucleotide and, where the polynucleotide encodes a peptide, for expressing the encoded peptide in a particular cell. An expression vector can contain the expression elements necessary to achieve, for example, sustained transcription of the encoding polynucleotide, or the regulatory elements can be operatively linked to the polynucleotide prior to its being cloned into the vector.

An expression vector (or the polynucleotide) generally contains or encodes a promoter sequence, which can provide constitutive or, if desired, inducible or tissue specific or developmental stage specific expression of the encoding polynucleotide, a poly-A recognition sequence, and a ribosome recognition site or internal ribosome entry site, or other regulatory elements such as an enhancer, which can be tissue specific. The vector also can contain elements required for replication in a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host system or both, as desired. Such vectors, which include plasmid vectors and viral vectors such as bacteriophage, baculovirus, retrovirus, lentivirus, adenovirus, vaccinia virus, semliki forest virus and adeno-associated virus vectors, are well known and can be purchased from a commercial source (Promega, Madison Wis.; Stratagene, La Jolla Calif.; GIBCO/BRL, Gaithersburg Md.) or can be constructed by one skilled in the art (see, for example, Meth. Enzymol., Vol. 185, Goeddel, ed. (Academic Press, Inc., 1990); Jolly, Canc. Gene Ther. 1:51-64, 1994; Flotte, J. Bioenerg. Biomemb. 25:37-42, 1993; Kirshenbaum et al., J. Clin. Invest. 92:381-387, 1993; each of which is incorporated herein by reference).

A polynucleotide useful in a method of the invention also can be operatively linked to tissue specific regulatory element, for example, a neuron specific regulatory element, such that expression of an encoded peptide agent is restricted to neurons in an individual, or to neurons in a mixed population of cells in culture, for example, an organ culture. For example, neuronal or glial promoters such as the myelin basic protein promoter, other neuronal-specific promoters, and astroglial promoters (e.g. GFAP-glial fibrillary acidic protein), known to those of skill in the art may be used. Muscle-regulatory elements including, for example, the muscle creatine kinase promoter (Sternberg et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 8:2896-2909, 1988, which is incorporated herein by reference) and the myosin light chain enhancer/promoter (Donoghue et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 88:5847-5851, 1991, which is incorporated herein by reference) are well known in the art. A variety of other promoters have been identified which are suitable for up regulating expression in cardiac tissue. Included, for example, are the cardiac I-myosin heavy chain (AMHC) promoter and the cardiac I-actin promoter. Other examples of tissue-specific regulatory elements include, tissue-specific promoters, pancreatic (insulin or elastase), and actin promoter in smooth muscle cells. Through the use of promoters, such as milk-specific promoters, recombinant retroviruses may be isolated directly from the biological fluid of the progeny.

A Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polynucleotide of the invention can be inserted into a vector, which can be a cloning vector or a recombinant expression vector. The term “expression vector” refers to a plasmid, virus or other vehicle known in the art that has been manipulated by insertion or incorporation of a polynucleotide, particularly, with respect to the present invention, a polynucleotide encoding all or a peptide portion of a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein. Such expression vectors contain a promoter sequence, which facilitates the efficient transcription of the inserted genetic sequence of the host. The expression vector generally contains an origin of replication, a promoter, as well as specific genes which allow phenotypic selection of the transformed cells. Vectors suitable for use in the present invention include, but are not limited to, the T7-based expression vector for expression in bacteria (Rosenberg, et al., Gene 56:125, 1987), the pMSXND expression vector for expression in mammalian cells (Lee and Nathans, J. Biol. Chem. 263:3521, 1988) and baculovirus-derived vectors for expression in insect cells. The DNA segment can be present in the vector operably linked to regulatory elements, for example, a promoter, which can be a T7 promoter, metallothionein I promoter, polyhedrin promoter, or other promoter as desired, particularly tissue specific promoters or inducible promoters.

Viral expression vectors can be particularly useful for introducing a polynucleotide useful in a method of the invention into a cell, particularly a cell in a subject. Viral vectors provide the advantage that they can infect host cells with relatively high efficiency and can infect specific cell types. For example, a polynucleotide encoding a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein or functional peptide portion thereof can be cloned into a baculovirus vector, which then can be used to infect an insect host cell, thereby providing a means to produce large amounts of the encoded protein or peptide portion. The viral vector also can be derived from a virus that infects cells of an organism of interest, for example, vertebrate host cells such as mammalian, avian or piscine host cells. Viral vectors can be particularly useful for introducing a polynucleotide useful in performing a method of the invention into a target cell. Viral vectors have been developed for use in particular host systems, particularly mammalian systems and include, for example, retroviral vectors, other lentivirus vectors such as those based on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), adenovirus vectors, adeno-associated virus vectors, herpesvirus vectors, vaccinia virus vectors, and the like (see Miller and Rosman, BioTechniques 7:980-990, 1992; Anderson et al., Nature 392:25-30 Suppl., 1998; Verma and Somia, Nature 389:239-242, 1997; Wilson, New Engl. J. Med. 334:1185-1187 (1996), each of which is incorporated herein by reference).

When retroviruses, for example, are used for gene transfer, replication competent retroviruses theoretically can develop due to recombination of retroviral vector and viral gene sequences in the packaging cell line utilized to produce the retroviral vector. Packaging cell lines in which the production of replication competent virus by recombination has been reduced or eliminated can be used to minimize the likelihood that a replication competent retrovirus will be produced. All retroviral vector supernatants used to infect cells are screened for replication competent virus by standard assays such as PCR and reverse transcriptase assays. Retroviral vectors allow for integration of a heterologous gene into a host cell genome, which allows for the gene to be passed to daughter cells following cell division.

A polynucleotide, which can be contained in a vector, can be introduced into a cell by any of a variety of methods known in the art (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A laboratory manual (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 1989); Ausubel et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley and Sons, Baltimore, Md. (1987, and supplements through 1995), each of which is incorporated herein by reference). Such methods include, for example, transfection, lipofection, microinjection, electroporation and, with viral vectors, infection; and can include the use of liposomes, microemulsions or the like, which can facilitate introduction of the polynucleotide into the cell and can protect the polynucleotide from degradation prior to its introduction into the cell. The selection of a particular method will depend, for example, on the cell into which the polynucleotide is to be introduced, as well as whether the cell is isolated in culture, or is in a tissue or organ in culture or in situ.

Introduction of a polynucleotide into a cell by infection with a viral vector is particularly advantageous in that it can efficiently introduce the nucleic acid molecule into a cell ex vivo or in vivo (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,346, which is incorporated herein by reference). Moreover, viruses are very specialized and can be selected as vectors based on an ability to infect and propagate in one or a few specific cell types. Thus, their natural specificity can be used to target the nucleic acid molecule contained in the vector to specific cell types. As such, a vector based on an HIV can be used to infect T cells, a vector based on an adenovirus can be used, for example, to infect respiratory epithelial cells, a vector based on a herpesvirus can be used to infect neuronal cells, and the like. Other vectors, such as adeno-associated viruses can have greater host cell range and, therefore, can be used to infect various cell types, although viral or non-viral vectors also can be modified with specific receptors or ligands to alter target specificity through receptor mediated events.

A polynucleotide sequence encoding a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein can be expressed in either prokaryotes or eukaryotes. Hosts can include microbial, yeast, insect and mammalian organisms. Methods of expressing polynucleotides having eukaryotic or viral sequences in prokaryotes are well known in the art, as are biologically functional viral and plasmid DNA vectors capable of expression and replication in a host. Methods for constructing an expression vector containing a polynucleotide of the invention are well known, as are factors to be considered in selecting transcriptional or translational control signals, including, for example; whether the polynucleotide is to be expressed preferentially in a particular cell type or under particular conditions (see, for example, Sambrook et al., supra, 1989).

A variety of host cell/expression vector systems can be utilized to express a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein coding sequence, including, but not limited to, microorganisms such as bacteria transformed with recombinant bacteriophage DNA, plasmid DNA or cosmid DNA expression vectors; yeast cells transformed with recombinant yeast expression vectors; plant cell systems infected with recombinant virus expression vectors such as a cauliflower mosaic virus or tobacco mosaic virus, or transformed with recombinant plasmid expression vector such as a Ti plasmid; insect cells infected with recombinant virus expression vectors such as a baculovirus; animal cell systems infected with recombinant virus expression vectors such as a retrovirus, adenovirus or vaccinia virus vector; and transformed animal cell systems genetically engineered for stable expression. Where the expressed Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein is post-translationally modified, for example, by glycosylation, it can be particularly advantageous to select a host cell/expression vector system that can effect the desired modification, for example, a mammalian host cell/expression vector system.

Depending on the host cell/vector system utilized, any of a number of suitable transcription and translation elements, including constitutive and inducible promoters, transcription enhancer elements, transcription terminators, and the like can be used in the expression vector (Bitter et al., Meth. Enzymol. 153:516-544, 1987). For example, when cloning in bacterial systems, inducible promoters such as pL of bacteriophage Σ, plac, ptrp, ptac (ptrp-lac hybrid promoter) and the like can be used. When cloning in mammalian cell systems, promoters derived from the genome of mammalian cells, for example, a human or mouse metallothionein promoter, or from mammalian viruses, for example, a retrovirus long terminal repeat, an adenovirus late promoter or a vaccinia virus 7.5K promoter, can be used. Promoters produced by recombinant DNA or synthetic techniques can also be used to provide for transcription of the inserted GDF receptors coding sequence.

In yeast cells, a number of vectors containing constitutive or inducible promoters can be used (see Ausubel et al., supra, 1987, see chapter 13; Grant et al., Meth. Enzymol. 153:516-544, 1987; Glover, DNA Cloning Vol. II (IRL Press, 1986), see chapter 3; Bitter, Meth. Enzymol. 152:673-684, 1987; see, also, The Molecular Biology of the Yeast Saccharomyces (Eds., Strathern et al., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1982), Vols. I and II). A constitutive yeast promoter such as ADH or LEU2 or an inducible promoter such as GAL can be used (Rothstein, DNA Cloning Vol. II (supra, 1986), chapter 3). Alternatively, vectors can be used which promote integration of foreign DNA sequences into the yeast chromosome.

Eukaryotic systems, particularly mammalian expression systems, allow for proper post-transtational modifications of expressed mammalian proteins. Eukaryotic cells which possess the cellular machinery for proper processing of the primary transcript, glycosylation, phosphorylation, and advantageously, plasma membrane insertion of the gene product can be used as host cells for the expression of a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein, or functional peptide portion thereof.

Mammalian cell systems which utilize recombinant viruses or viral elements to direct expression can be engineered. For example, when using adenovirus expression vectors, the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein coding sequence can be ligated to an adenovirus transcription/translation control complex, e.g., the late promoter and tripartite leader sequence. Alternatively, the vaccinia virus 7.5K promoter can be used (Mackett et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 79:7415-7419, 1982; Mackett et al., J. Virol. 49:857-864, 1984; Panicali et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 79:4927-4931, 1982). Particularly useful are bovine papilloma virus vectors, which can replicate as extrachromosomal elements (Sarver et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 1:486, 1981). Shortly after entry of this DNA into mouse cells, the plasmid replicates to about 100 to 200 copies per cell. Transcription of the inserted cDNA does not require integration of the plasmid into the host cell chromosome, thereby yielding a high level of expression. These vectors can be used for stable expression by including a selectable marker in the plasmid, such as, for example, the neo gene. Alternatively, the retroviral genome can be modified for use as a vector capable of introducing and directing the expression of the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein gene in host cells (Cone and Mulligan, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 81:6349-6353, 1984). High level expression can also be achieved using inducible promoters, including, but not limited to, the metallothionein IIA promoter and heat shock promoters.

For long term, high yield production of recombinant proteins, stable expression is preferred. Rather than using expression vectors which contain viral origins of replication, host cells can be transformed with Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein cDNA controlled by appropriate expression control elements such as promoter, enhancer, sequences, transcription terminators, and polyadenylation sites, and a selectable marker. The selectable marker in the recombinant plasmid can confer resistance to the selection, and allows cells to stably integrate the plasmid into their chromosomes and grow to form foci, which, in turn can be cloned and expanded into cell lines. For example, following the introduction of foreign DNA, engineered cells can be allowed to grow for 1 to 2 days in an enriched media, and then are switched to a selective media. A number of selection systems can be used, including, but not limited to, the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (Wigler et al., Cell 11:223, 1977), hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (Szybalska and Szybalski, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 48:2026, 1982), and adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (Lowy, et al., Cell 22:817, 1980) genes can be employed in tk⁻, hgprt⁻ or aprt⁻ cells respectively. Also, antimetabolite resistance can be used as the basis of selection for dhfr, which confers resistance to methotrexate (Wigler, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77:3567, 1980; O'Hare et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 78: 1527, 1981); gpt, which confers resistance to mycophenolic acid (Mulligan and Berg, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 78:2072, 1981); neo, which confers resistance to the aminoglycoside G-418 (Colberre-Garapin et al., J. Mol. Biol. 150:1, 1981); and hygro, which confers resistance to hygromycin (Santerre et al., Gene 30:147, 1984) genes. Additional selectable genes, including trpB, which allows cells to utilize indole in place of tryptophan; hisD, which allows cells to utilize histinol in place of histidine (Hartman and Mulligan, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 85:8047, 1988); and ODC (ornithine decarboxylase) which confers resistance to the ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, 2-(difluoromethyl)-DL-ornithine, DFMO (McConlogue, Curr. Comm. Mol. Biol. (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1987), also have been described.

When the host is a eukaryote, such methods of transfection of DNA as calcium phosphate coprecipitates, conventional mechanical procedures such as microinjection, electroporation, insertion of a plasmid encased in liposomes, or virus vectors can be used. Eukaryotic cells can also be cotransformed with DNA sequences encoding Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins of the invention, and a second foreign DNA molecule encoding a selectable phenotype, such as the herpes simplex thymidine kinase gene. Another method is to use a eukaryotic viral vector, such as simian virus 40 (SV40) or bovine papilloma virus, to transiently infect or transform eukaryotic cells and express the protein. (Gluzman, Eukaryotic Viral Vectors (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1982)).

The invention provides a method for producing a polypeptide characterized as interacting with a glutamate transporter protein; modulating intracellular glutamate transport; having an expression pattern in Purkinje cells of the brain; and being hydrophobic. The invention also provides a method for producing a polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:6 or fragments thereof, including culturing the host cell under conditions suitable for the expression of the polypeptide and recovering the polypeptide from the host cell culture.

A Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide or a fragment thereof, can be encoded by a recombinant or non-recombinant nucleic acid molecule and expressed in a cell. Preparation of a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide by recombinant methods provides several advantages. In particular, the nucleic acid sequence encoding the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide can include additional nucleotide sequences encoding, for example, peptides useful for recovering the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide from the host cell. A Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide can be recovered using well known methods, including, for example, precipitation, gel filtration, ion exchange, reverse-phase, or affinity chromatography (see, for example, Deutscher et al., “Guide to Protein Purification” in Meth. Enzymol., Vol. 182, (Academic Press, 1990)). Such methods also can be used to purify a fragment of a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide, for example, a particular binding sequence, from a cell in which it is naturally expressed.

A recombinant nucleic acid molecule encoding a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide or a fragment thereof can include, for example, a protease site, which can facilitate cleavage of the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide from a non-Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide sequence, for example, a tag peptide, secretory peptide, or the like. As such, the recombinant nucleic acid molecule also can encode a tag peptide such as a polyhistidine sequence, a FLAG peptide (Hopp et al., Biotechnology 6:1204 (1988)), a glutathione S-transferase polypeptide or the like, which can be bound by divalent metal ions, a specific antibody (U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,912), or glutathione, respectively, thus facilitating recovery and purification of the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide comprising the peptide tag. Such tag peptides also can facilitate identification of the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide through stages of synthesis, chemical or enzymatic modification, linkage, or the like. Methods for purifying polypeptides comprising such tags are well known in the art and the reagents for performing such methods are commercially available.

A nucleic acid molecule encoding a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide can be engineered to contain one or more restriction endonuclease recognition and cleavage sites, which can facilitate, for example, substitution of an element of the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide such as the selective recognition domain or, where present, a spacer element. As such, related Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptides can be prepared, each having a similar activity, but having specificity for different function-forming contexts. A restriction endonuclease site also can be engineered into (or out of) the sequence coding a peptide portion of the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide, and can, but need not change one or more amino acids encoded by the particular sequence. Such a site can provide a simple means to identify the nucleic acid sequence, based on cleavage (or lack of cleavage) following contact with the relevant restriction endonuclease, and, where introduction of the site changes an amino acid, can further provide advantages based on the substitution.

In another embodiment of the invention there is provided a substantially pure polypeptide which interacts with amino acid sequence QEAELTLP (SEQ ID NO:9) or the amino acid sequence GRGGNESVM (SEQ ID NO:10). In a preferred embodiment, polypeptides interact with a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes to SEQ ID NO:1. An exemplary protein containing amino acid sequences QEAELTLP (SEQ ID NO:9) and GRGGNESVM (SEQ ID NO:10) is glutamate transport protein EAAT4 (see Examples). In another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a polynucleotide encoding a substantially pure polypeptide which interacts with amino acid sequence QEAELTLP (SEQ ID NO:9) or the amino acid sequence GRGGNESVM (SEQ ID NO:10).

Another embodiment of the invention provides a substantially pure polypeptide which interacts with a polypeptide having the sequence of amino acids found at amino acid residues 527 to 534 of EAAT4 (SEQ ID NO:9). Still another embodiment of the invention provides a substantially pure polypeptide which interacts with a polypeptide sequence having the sequence of amino acid found at amino acid residues 555 to 561 of EAAT4 (SEQ ID NO:10).

Still another embodiment of the invention provides a substantially pure polypeptide which interacts with the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:12. Also provided is a substantially pure polypeptide which interacts with the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:13. Such amino acid sequence are used as “bait” sequences in yeast two-hybrid screen (See Example 1). Polypeptides identified in such screens are interacting proteins. Interacting proteins can mediate or modulate the activities of intracellular proteins.

A method is provided for identifying a compound that modulates a cellular response mediated by a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein. The method includes incubating the compound with a cell expressing a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein and a glutamate transporter protein under conditions sufficient to permit the compound to interact with the cell. The effect of the compound on the cellular response is determined, either directly or indirectly, and a cellular response is then compared with a cellular response of a control cell. A suitable control includes, but is not limited to, a cellular response of a cell not contacted with the compound. The cell may be any cell of interest, including but not limited to neuronal cells, glial cells, cardiac cells, bronchial cells, uterine cells, testicular cells, liver cells, renal cells, intestinal cells, cells from the thymus and spleen, placental cells, endothelial cells, endocrine cells including thyroid, parathyroid, pituitary and the like, smooth muscle cells and skeletal muscle cells. The term “incubating” includes conditions which allow contact between the test compound and the cell of interest. “Contacting” may include in solution or in solid phase.

The cellular response can be an increase in glutamate transport or a decrease in glutamate transport. Glutamate transport can be assessed by measuring glutamate uptake assays (see Example 8) and other assays known in the art.

The cellular response can be an increase in cytoskeletal stability or a decrease in cytoskeletal stability. Cytoskeletal stability can be assessed for example, by examining the formation and maintenance of intracellular protein interaction, cell-surface receptor clustering, clustering of glutamate transporter proteins, and the like. Methods for demonstrating such cellular responses are well known in the art (e.g. biochemical methods and histological methods). (See Kornau et al. (1997) Curr. Opin. Neurobiol. 2:368-373; and Huganir et al. (2000) Trends in Cell Biol. 10:274-280, each of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety and Examples section for additional methodology).

The cellular response can be an increase in chloride flux or a decrease in chloride flux. Chloride flux can be assessed by methods known to those of skill in the art such as electrophysiological methods including, but not limited to, patch clamp analysis.

Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins contemplated for use in the invention method includes, for example, GTRAP4-41, GTRAP4-48, PCTAIRE-1a, PCTAIRE-1b, and GTRAP3-18. Glutamate transport proteins contemplated for use in the invention method include GLAST, GLT-1, EAAC1, EAAT1, EAAT2, EAAT3, EAAT4 and EAAT5.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the glutamate transport protein is EATT4 and the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein is GTRAP4-41, GTRAP4-48, PCTAIRE-1a or PCTAIRE-1b. In another embodiment of the invention, the glutamate transport protein is EAAC1 and the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein is GTRAP3-18.

In an embodiment of the invention, the cell expressing a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein further expresses a RhoGEF protein. The Rho family of GTP-binding proteins regulates the rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton. At least one Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein has a domain that permits interaction with a a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF).

Compounds which modulate a cellular response include peptides, peptidomimetics, polypeptides, pharmaceuticals, chemical compounds and biological agents, for example. Antibodies, anti-epileptic compounds and combinatorial compound libraries can also be tested using the method of the invention. One class of organic molecules, preferably small organic compounds having a molecular weight of more than 50 and less than about 2,500 Daltons. Candidate agents comprise functional groups necessary for structural interaction with proteins, particularly hydrogen bonding, and typically include at least an amine, carbonyl, hydroxyl or carboxyl group, preferably at least two of the functional chemical groups. The candidate agents often comprise cyclical carbon or heterocyclic structures and/or aromatic or polyaromatic structures substituted with one or more of the above functional groups.

The test agent may also be a combinatorial library for screening a plurality of compounds. Compounds such as peptides identified in the method of the invention can be further cloned, sequenced, and the like, either in solution of after binding to a solid support, by any method usually applied to the isolation of a specific DNA sequence Molecular techniques for DNA analysis (Landegren et al., Science 242:229-237, 1988) and cloning have been reviewed (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: a Laboratory Manual, 2nd Ed.; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Plainview, N.Y., 1998, herein incorporated by reference).

Candidate compounds are obtained from a wide variety of sources including libraries of synthetic or natural compounds. For example, numerous means are available for random and directed synthesis of a wide variety of organic compounds and biomolecules, including expression of randomized oligonucleotides and oligopeptides. Alternatively, libraries of natural compounds in the form of bacterial, fungal, plant and animal extracts are available or readily produced. Additionally, natural or synthetically produced libraries and compounds are readily modified through conventional chemical, physical and biochemical means, and may be used to produce combinatorial libraries. Known pharmacological agents may be subjected to directed or random chemical modifications, such as acylation, alkylation, esterification, amidification, etc., to produce structural analogs. Candidate agents are also found among biomolecules including, but not limited to: peptides, saccharides, fatty acids, steroids, purines, pyrimidines, derivatives, structural analogs or combinations thereof.

A variety of other agents may be included in the screening assay. These include agents like salts, neutral proteins, e.g., albumin, detergents, etc. that are used to facilitate optimal protein-protein binding and/or reduce nonspecific or background interactions. Reagents that improve the efficiency of the assay, such as protease inhibitors, nuclease inhibitors, antimicrobial agents and the like may be used. The mixture of components are added in any order that provides for the requisite binding. Incubations are performed at any suitable temperature, typically between 4 and 40° C. Incubation periods are selected for optimum activity, but may also be optimized to facilitate rapid high-throughput screening. Typically between 0.1 and 10 h will be sufficient.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a method for identifying a compound that can inhibit an interaction between a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein and a glutamate transporter protein. The method includes contacting a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein with a glutamate transporter protein in the presence of the compound, and comparing the formation of a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein-glutamate transporter complex in the presence of the compound with the formation of the complex in the absence of the compound. Compounds that affect complex formation include peptides, polypeptides, pepidomimetics, chemical compounds and biological agents.

Contacting includes in solution and solid phase. In a preferred embodiment, isolated Glutamate Associated Transporter Proteins are utilized. However, partially purified proteins, fractions of cell extracts, whole cell extracts, or intact cells may be utilized with the method of the invention.

The complex of the Glutamate Associated Transporter Protein and the glutamate transporter protein can be separated from uncomplexed components by conventional means, well known to one of skill in the art. Separation can be accomplished by size separation, physical separation, antibody-mediated separation, or other standard methods. For example, immunoprecipitation or gel electrophoresis can be used to separate Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein-glutamate transporter protein complex from components that are not part of the complex (See Examples section for details).

Also provided is a method of modulating glutamate transport in a subject in need thereof. The method includes administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound that modulates expression or activity of a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein, thereby modulating glutamate transport.

A method is further provided for treating a subject with a disorder associated with glutamate transport comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound that modulates Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein activity or interaction with glutamate transporter protein.

Essentially, any disorder that is etiologically linked to glutamate transport or to a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein could be considered susceptible to treatment with an agent that modulates Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein activity. The disorder may be a neuronal cell disorder. Examples of neuronal cell disorders include but are not limited to epilepsy, neurodegenerative disease (e.g. Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease), spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA), especially of the SCA type 1, multiple sclerosis, disorders of neurotransmitter metabolism, including GABA metabolism and the like, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and brain or spinal cord injury/damage, including ischemic injury, and the like. Disorders also include glutamate toxicity, a disorder of memory, a disorder of learning or a disorder of brain development, and the like. Also included are disorders of glutamate-GABA imbalance such as schizophrenia, and the like.

In a preferred embodiment, the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein is GTAP4-41, GTRAP4-48 or PCTAIRE-1 (including PCTAIRE-1a and PCTAIRE-1b) and the disorder is a disorder of the nervous system such as neurodegeneration or spinocerebellar ataxia type 1.

When the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein is GTRAP3-18 the disorder is epilepsy or a disorder of GABA metabolism (e.g. tremors, spasticity, schizophrenia), for example.

Treatment can include modulation of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein expression or activity by administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a compound that modulates Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein or Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein activity. The term “modulate” envisions the suppression of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein activity or expression when the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein is overexpressed or has an increased activity as compared to a control. The term “modulate” also includes the augmentation of the expression of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein when it is underexpressed or has a decreased activity as compared to a control. The term “compound” as used herein describes any molecule, e.g., protein, nucleic acid, or pharmaceutical, with the capability of altering the expression of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polynucleotide or activity of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein. Treatment can inhibit the transcription or translation of a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein nucleotide sequence, inhibit the interaction of a domain of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein with its target protein, may increase the avidity of this interaction by means of allosteric effects, may block the binding activity of a domain of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein or influence other functional properties of Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins.

Candidate agents include nucleic acids that interfere with expression of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein, such as an antisense nucleic acid, ribozymes, and the like. Candidate agents also encompass numerous chemical classes wherein the agent modulates Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein expression or activity. For example, when the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein is GTRAP3-18, the compound can be a polynucleotide having a nucleic acid sequence substantially similar to SEQ ID NO:20 (5′-GAGCGGGGCAAGGTTCAC-3′). A nucleotide encoded by SEQ ID NO:20 is antisense to the nucleic acid sequence of GTRRAP3-18 (See Example 13). GTRAP3-18 can also be modulated by retinoic acid (See Example 14).

When the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein is GTRAP4-41, GTRAP4-48 or PCTAIRE-1, modulatory compounds include a polynucleotide having a nucleic acid sequence that is substantially similar to an antisense nucleic acid sequence that binds to a polynucleotide encoding GTRAP4-41, GTRAP4-48 or PCTAIRE-1.

Modulation of glutamate transport can be an increase in glutamate transport or a decrease in glutamate transport. When a disorder is associated with an increase in glutamate transport, compounds that decrease glutamate transport can be used. For example, compounds that modulate expression of GTRAP3-18 are contemplated. When a disorder is associated with a decrease in glutamate transport, compound that increase glutamate transport are contemplated. For example, compounds that modulate expression of GTRAP4-41, GTRAP4-48, or PCTAIRE-1 (a and b) are contemplated.

Detection of altered (decreased or increased) levels of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein expression can be accomplished by hybridization of nucleic acids isolated from a cell of interest with a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein of the invention. Analysis, such as Northern Blot analysis, are utilized to quantitate expression of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein, such as to measure Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein transcripts. Other standard nucleic acid detection techniques will be known to those of skill in the art. Detection of altered levels of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein can also accomplished using assays designed to detect Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide. For example, antibodies or peptides that specifically bind a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide can be utilized. Analyses, such as radioimmune assay or immunohistochemistry, are then used to measure Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein , such as to measure protein concentration qualitatively or quantitatively.

Where a disorder is associated with the increased expression of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein, nucleic acid sequences that interfere with the expression of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein can be used. This approach also utilizes, for example, antisense nucleic acid, ribozymes, or triplex agents to block transcription or translation of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein mRNA, either by masking that mRNA with an antisense nucleic acid or triplex agent, or by cleaving it with a ribozyme in disorders associated with increased Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein. Alternatively, a dominant negative form of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide could be administered.

When Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein is overexpressed, candidate agents include antisense nucleic acid sequences. Antisense nucleic acids are DNA or RNA molecules that are complementary to at least a portion of a specific mRNA molecule (Weintraub, 1990, Scientific American, 262:40). In the cell, the antisense nucleic acids hybridize to the corresponding mRNA, forming a double-stranded molecule. The antisense nucleic acids interfere with the translation of the mRNA, since the cell will not translate a mRNA that is double-stranded. Antisense oligomers of about 15 nucleotides are preferred, since they are easily synthesized and are less likely to cause problems than larger molecules when introduced into the target cell. The use of antisense methods to inhibit the in vitro translation of genes is well known in the art (Marcus-Sakura, 1988, Anal. Biochem., 172:289).

Use of an oligonucleotide to stall transcription is known as the triplex strategy since the oligomer winds around double-helical DNA, forming a three-strand helix. Therefore, these triplex compounds can be designed to recognize a unique site on a chosen gene (Maher, et al., 1991, Antisense Res. and Dev., 1(3):227; Helene, C., 1991, Anticancer Drug Design, 6:569).

Ribozymes are RNA molecules possessing the ability to specifically cleave other single-stranded RNA in a manner analogous to DNA restriction endonucleases. Through the modification of nucleotide sequences which encode these RNAs, it is possible to engineer molecules that recognize specific nucleotide sequences in an RNA molecule and cleave it (Cech, 1988, J. Amer. Med. Assn., 260:3030). A major advantage of this approach is that, because they are sequence-specific, only mRNAs with particular sequences are inactivated.

There are two basic types of ribozymes namely, tetrahymena-type (Hasselhoff, 1988, Nature, 334:585) and “hammerhead”-type. Tetrahymena-type ribozymes recognize sequences which are four bases in length, while “hammerhead”-type ribozymes recognize base sequences 11-18 bases in length. The longer the recognition sequence, the greater the likelihood that the sequence will occur exclusively in the target mRNA species. Consequently, hammerhead-type ribozymes are preferable to tetrahymena-type ribozymes for inactivating a specific mRNA species and 18-based recognition sequences are preferable to shorter recognition sequences.

When a disorder is associated with the decreased expression of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein, nucleic acid sequences that encode Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein can be used. An agent which modulates Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein expression includes a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:22, or a conservative variant thereof. Alternatively, an agent of use with the subject invention includes agents that increase the expression of a polynucleotide encoding Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein or an agent that increases the activity of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide.

In another series of embodiments, the present invention provides transgenic animal models diseases or disorders associated with mutations in the Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein genes. The animal may be essentially any amphibian, reptile, fish, mammal, and the like. Preferably, the transgenic animal is mammalian including rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, dogs, cats, goats, sheep, pigs, and non-human primates. In addition, invertebrate models, including nematodes and insects, may be used for certain applications. The animal models are produced by standard transgenic methods including microinjection, transfection, or by other forms of transformation of embryonic stem cells, zygotes, gametes, and germ line cells with vectors including genomic or cDNA fragments, minigenes, homologous recombination vectors, viral insertion vectors and the like. Suitable vectors include vaccinia virus, adenovirus, adeno associated virus, retrovirus, liposome transport, neuraltropic viruses, Herpes simplex virus, and the like. The animal models may include transgenic sequences comprising or derived from Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins including normal and mutant sequences, intronic, exonic and untranslated sequences, and sequences encoding subsets of Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein such as functional domains.

The major types of animal models provided include: (1) Animals in which a normal human Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein gene has been recombinantly introduced into the genome of the animal as an additional gene, under the regulation of either an exogenous or an endogenous promoter element, and as either a minigene or a large genomic fragment; in which a normal human Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein gene has been recombinantly substituted for one or both copies of the animal's homologous Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein gene by homologous recombination or gene targeting; and/or in which one or both copies of one of the animal's homologous Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein genes have been recombinantly “humanized” by the partial substitution of sequences encoding the human homologue by homologous recombination or gene targeting. (2) Animals in which a mutant human Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein gene has been recombinantly introduced into the genome of the animal as an additional gene, under the regulation of either an exogenous or an endogenous promoter element, and as either a minigene or a large genomic fragment; in which a mutant human Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein gene has been recombinantly substituted for one or both copies of the animal's homologous Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein gene by homologous recombination or gene targeting; and/or in which one or both copies of one of the animal's homologous Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein genes have been recombinantly “humanized” by the partial substitution of sequences encoding a mutant human homologue by homologous recombination or gene targeting. (3) Animals in which a mutant version of one of that animal's Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein genes has been recombinantly introduced into the genome of the animal as an additional gene, under the regulation of either an exogenous or an endogenous promoter element, and as either a minigene or a large genomic fragment; and/or in which a mutant version of one of that animal's Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein genes has been recombinantly substituted for one or both copies of the animal's homologous Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein gene by homologous recombination or gene targeting. (4) “Knock-out” animals in which one or both copies of one of the animal's Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein genes have been partially or completely deleted by homologous recombination or gene targeting, or have been inactivated by the insertion or substitution by homologous recombination or gene targeting of exogenous sequences.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a transgenic non-human animal having a transgene that expresses a Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein-encoding polynucleotide chromosomally integrated into the germ cells of the animal. Animals are referred to as “transgenic” when such animal has had a heterologous DNA sequence, or one or more additional DNA sequences normally endogenous to the animal (collectively referred to herein as “transgenes”) chromosomally integrated into the germ cells of the animal. The transgenic animal (including its progeny) will also have the transgene fortuitously integrated into the chromosomes of somatic cells.

Various methods to make the transgenic animals of the subject invention can be employed. Generally speaking, three such methods may be employed. In one such method, an embryo at the pronuclear stage (a “one cell embryo”) is harvested from a female and the transgene is microinjected into the embryo, in which case the transgene will be chromosomally integrated into both the germ cells and somatic cells of the resulting mature animal. In another such method, embryonic stem cells are isolated and the transgene incorporated therein by electroporation, plasmid transfection or microinjection, followed by reintroduction of the stem cells into the embryo where they colonize and contribute to the germ line. Methods for microinjection of mammalian species is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,191. In yet another such method, embryonic cells are infected with a retrovirus containing the transgene whereby the germ cells of the embryo have the transgene chromosomally integrated therein. When the animals to be made transgenic are avian, because avian fertilized ova generally go through cell division for the first twenty hours in the oviduct, microinjection into the pronucleus of the fertilized egg is problematic due to the inaccessibility of the pronucleus. Therefore, of the methods to make transgenic animals described generally above, retrovirus infection is preferred for avian species, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,215. If microinjection is to be used with avian species, however, a recently published procedure by Love et al., (Biotechnology, 12, Jan. 1994) can be utilized whereby the embryo is obtained from a sacrificed hen approximately two and one-half h after the laying of the previous laid egg, the transgene is microinjected into the cytoplasm of the germinal disc and the embryo is cultured in a host shell until maturity. When the animals to be made transgenic are bovine or porcine, microinjection can be hampered by the opacity of the ova thereby making the nuclei difficult to identify by traditional differential interference-contrast microscopy. To overcome this problem, the ova can first be centrifuged to segregate the pronuclei for better visualization.

The non-human animals of the invention are murine typically (e.g., mouse). The transgenic non-human animals of the invention are produced by introducing “transgenes” into the germline of the non-human animal. Embryonal target cells at various developmental stages can be used to introduce transgenes. Different methods are used depending on the stage of development of the embryonal target cell. The zygote is the best target for microinjection. The use of zygotes as a target for gene transfer has a major advantage in that in most cases the injected DNA will be incorporated into the host gene before the first cleavage (Brinster et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:4438-4442, 1985). As a consequence, all cells of the transgenic non-human animal will carry the incorporated transgene. This will in general also be reflected in the efficient transmission of the transgene to offspring of the founder since 50% of the germ cells will harbor the transgene.

The term “transgenic” is used to describe an animal which includes exogenous genetic material within all of its cells. A “transgenic” animal can be produced by cross-breeding two chimeric animals which include exogenous genetic material within cells used in reproduction. Twenty-five percent of the resulting offspring will be transgenic i.e., animals which include the exogenous genetic material within all of their cells in both alleles. Fifty percent of the resulting animals will include the exogenous genetic material within one allele and twenty five percent will include no exogenous genetic material.

In the microinjection method useful in the practice of the subject invention, the transgene is digested and purified free from any vector DNA e.g. by gel electrophoresis. It is preferred that the transgene include an operatively associated promoter which interacts with cellular proteins involved in transcription, ultimately resulting in constitutive expression. Promoters useful in this regard include those from cytomegalovirus (CMV), Moloney leukemia virus (MLV), and herpes virus, as well as those from the genes encoding metallothionine, skeletal actin, P-enolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPCK), phosphoglycerate (PGK), DHFR, and thymidine kinase. Promoters for viral long terminal repeats (LTRs) such as Rous Sarcoma Virus can also be employed. Constructs useful in plasmid transfection of embryonic stem cells will employ additional regulatory elements well known in the art such as enhancer elements to stimulate transcription, splice acceptors, termination and polyadenylation signals, and ribosome binding sites to permit translation.

Retroviral infection can also be used to introduce transgene into a non-human animal, as described above. The developing non-human embryo can be cultured in vitro to the blastocyst stage. During this time, the blastomeres can be targets for retro viral infection (Jaenich, R., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 73:1260-1264, 1976). Efficient infection of the blastomeres is obtained by enzymatic treatment to remove the zona pellucida (Hogan, et al. (1986) in Manipulating the Mouse Embryo, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.). The viral vector system used to introduce the transgene is typically a replication-defective retro virus carrying the transgene (Jahner, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:6927-6931, 1985; Van der Putten, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 82:6148-6152, 1985). Transfection is easily and efficiently obtained by culturing the blastomeres on a monolayer of virus-producing cells (Van der Putten, supra; Stewart, et al., EMBO J. 6:383-388, 1987). Alternatively, infection can be performed at a later stage. Virus or virus-producing cells can be injected into the blastocoel (D. Jahner et al., Nature 2-98:623-628, 1982). Most of the founders will be mosaic for the transgene since incorporation occurs only in a subset of the cells which formed the transgenic nonhuman animal. Further, the founder may contain various retro viral insertions of the transgene at different positions in the genome which generally will segregate in the offspring. In addition, it is also possible to introduce transgenes into the germ line, albeit with low efficiency, by intrauterine retroviral infection of the midgestation embryo (D. Jahner et al., supra).

A third type of target cell for transgene introduction is the embryonal stem cell (ES). ES cells are obtained from pre-implantation embryos cultured in vitro and fused with embryos (M. J. Evans et al. Nature 292:154-156, 1981; M. O. Bradley et al., Nature 309:255-258, 1984; Gossler, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 83: 9065-9069, 1986; and Robertson et al., Nature 322:445-448, 1986). Transgenes can be efficiently introduced into the ES cells by DNA transfection or by retro virus-mediated transduction. Such transformed ES cells can thereafter be combined with blastocysts from a nonhuman animal. The ES cells thereafter colonize the embryo and contribute to the germ line of the resulting chimeric animal. (For review see Jaenisch, R., Science 240: 1468-1474, 1988).

“Transformed” means a cell into which (or into an ancestor of which) has been introduced, by means of recombinant nucleic acid techniques, a heterologous nucleic acid molecule. “Heterologous” refers to a nucleic acid sequence that either originates from another species or is modified from either its original form or the form primarily expressed in the cell.

“Transgene” means any piece of DNA which is inserted by artifice into a cell, and becomes part of the genome of the organism (i.e., either stably integrated or as a stable extrachromosomal element) which develops from that cell. Such a transgene may include a gene which is partly or entirely heterologous (i.e., foreign) to the transgenic organism, or may represent a gene homologous to an endogenous gene of the organism. Included within this definition is a transgene created by the providing of an RNA sequence which is transcribed into DNA and then incorporated into the genome. The transgenes of the invention include DNA sequences which encode Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein polypeptide-sense and antisense polynucleotides, which may be expressed in a transgenic non-human animal. The term “transgenic” as used herein additionally includes any organism whose genome has been altered by in vitro manipulation of the early embryo or fertilized egg or by any transgenic technology to induce a specific gene knockout. As used herein, the term “transgenic” includes any transgenic technology familiar to those in the art which can produce an organism carrying an introduced transgene or one in which an endogenous gene has been rendered non-functional or “knocked out”.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a computer readable medium having store thereon a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7 and sequences substantially identical thereto, or a polypeptide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:22 and sequences substantially identical thereto.

A further embodiment of the invention provides a computer system comprising a processor and a data storage device wherein said date storage device has stored thereon a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7 and sequences substantially identical thereto, or a polypeptide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:22 and sequences substantially identical thereto. The computer system, additionally can contain a sequence comparison algorithm and a data storage device having at least one reference sequence stored on it. The sequence comparison algorithm comprises a computer program which indicates polymorphisms. The term “polymorphism”, as used herein, refers to the existence of multiple alleles at a single locus. Polymorphism can be are several types including, for example, those that change DNA sequence but do not change protein sequence, those that change protein sequence without changing function, those that create proteins with a different activity, and those that create proteins that are non-functional.

Embodiments of the invention include systems (e.g., internet based systems), particularly computer systems which store and manipulate the coordinate and sequence information described herein. One example of a computer system 100 is illustrated in block diagram form in FIG. 10. As used herein, “a computer system” refers to the hardware components, software components, and data storage components used to analyze the coordinates and sequences as set forth herein. The computer system 100 typically includes a processor for processing, accessing and manipulating the sequence data. The processor 105 can be any well-known type of central processing unit, such as, for example, the Pentium III from Intel Corporation, or similar processor from Sun, Motorola, Compaq, AMD or International Business Machines.

Typically the computer system 100 is a general purpose system that comprises the processor 105 and one or more internal data storage components 110 for storing data, and one or more data retrieving devices for retrieving the data stored on the data storage components. A skilled artisan can readily appreciate that any one of the currently available computer systems are suitable.

In one particular embodiment, the computer system 100 includes a processor 105 connected to a bus which is connected to a main memory 115 (preferably implemented as RAM) and one or more internal data storage devices 110, such as a hard drive and/or other computer readable media having data recorded thereon. In some embodiments, the computer system 100 further includes one or more data retrieving device 118 for reading the data stored on the internal data storage devices 110.

The data retrieving device 118 may represent, for example, a floppy disk drive, a compact disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, or a modem capable of connection to a remote data storage system (e.g., via the internet) etc. In some embodiments, the internal data storage device 110 is a removable computer readable medium such as a floppy disk, a compact disk, a magnetic tape, etc. containing control logic and/or data recorded thereon. The computer system 100 may advantageously include or be programmed by appropriate software for reading the control logic and/or the data from the data storage component once inserted in the data retrieving device.

The computer system 100 includes a display 120 which is used to display output to a computer user. It should also be noted that the computer system 100 can be linked to other computer systems 125 a-c in a network or wide area network to provide centralized access to the computer system 100.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a process 200 for comparing a new nucleotide or protein sequence with a database of sequences in order to determine the homology levels between the new sequence and the sequences in the database. The database of sequences can be a private database stored within the computer system 100, or a public database such as GENBANK that is available through the Internet.

The process 200 begins at a start state 201 and then moves to a state 202 wherein the new sequence to be compared is stored to a memory in a computer system 100. As discussed above, the memory could be any type of memory, including RAM or an internal storage device.

The process 200 then moves to a state 204 wherein a database of sequences is opened for analysis and comparison. The process 200 then moves to a state 206 wherein the first sequence stored in the database is read into a memory on the computer. A comparison is then performed at a state 210 to determine if the first sequence is the same as the second sequence. It is important to note that this step is not limited to performing an exact comparison between the new sequence and the first sequence in the database. Well-known methods are known to those of skill in the art for comparing two nucleotide or protein sequences, even if they are not identical. For example, gaps can be introduced into one sequence in order to raise the homology level between the two tested sequences. The parameters that control whether gaps or other features are introduced into a sequence during comparison are normally entered by the user of the computer system.

Once a comparison of the two sequences has been performed at the state 210, a determination is made at a decision state 210 whether the two sequences are the same. Of course, the term “same” is not limited to sequences that are absolutely identical. Sequences that are within the homology parameters entered by the user will be marked as “same” in the process 200.

If a determination is made that the two sequences are the same, the process 200 moves to a state 214 wherein the name of the sequence from the database is displayed to the user. This state notifies the user that the sequence with the displayed name fulfills the homology constraints that were entered. Once the name of the stored sequence is displayed to the user, the process 200 moves to a decision state 218 wherein a determination is made whether more sequences exist in the database. If no more sequences exist in the database, then the process 200 terminates at an end state 220 However, if more sequences do exist in the database, then the process 200 moves to a state 224 wherein a pointer is moved to the next sequence in the database so that it can be compared to the new sequence. In this manner, the new sequence is aligned and compared with every sequence in the database.

It should be noted that if a determination had been made at the decision state 212 that the sequences were not homologous, then the process 200 would move immediately to the decision state 218 in order to determine if any other sequences were available in the database for comparison.

FIG. 12 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a process 250 in a computer for determining whether two sequences are homologous. The process 250 begins at a start state 252 and then moves to a state 254 wherein a first sequence to be compared is stored to a memory. The second sequence to be compared is then stored to a memory at a state 256. The process 250 then moves to a state 260 wherein the first character in the first sequence is read and then to a state 262 wherein the first character of the second sequence is read. It should be understood that if the sequence is a nucleotide sequence, then the character would normally be either A, T, C, G or U. If the sequence is a protein sequence, then it is preferably in the single letter amino acid code so that the first and sequence sequences can be easily compared.

A determination is then made at a decision state 264 whether the two characters are the same. If they are the same, then the process 250 moves to a state 268 wherein the next characters in the first and second sequences are read. A determination is then made whether the next characters are the same. If they are, then the process 250 continues this loop until two characters are not the same. If a determination is made that the next two characters are not the same, the process 250 moves to a decision state 274 to determine whether there are any more characters either sequence to read.

If there are not any more characters to read, then the process 250 moves to a state 276 wherein the level of homology between the first and second sequences is displayed to the user. The level of homology is determined by calculating the proportion of characters between the sequences that were the same out of the total number of sequences in the first sequence. Thus, if every character in a first 100 nucleotide sequence aligned with a every character in a second sequence, the homology level would be 100%.

Homology or identity is often measured using sequence analysis software (e.g., Sequence Analysis Software Package of the Genetics Computer Group, University of Wisconsin Biotechnology Center, 1710 University Avenue, Madison, Wis. 53705). Such software matches similar sequences by assigning degrees of homology to various deletions, substitutions and other modifications. The terms “homology” and “identity” in the context of two or more nucleic acids or polypeptide sequences, refer to two or more sequences or subsequences that are the same or have a specified percentage of amino acid residues or nucleotides that are the same when compared and aligned for maximum correspondence over a comparison window or designated region as measured using any number of sequence comparison algorithms or by manual alignment and visual inspection.

For sequence comparison, typically one sequence acts as a reference sequence, to which test sequences are compared. When using a sequence comparison algorithm, test and reference sequences are entered into a computer, subsequence coordinates are designated, if necessary, and sequence algorithm program parameters are designated. Default program parameters can be used, or alternative parameters can be designated. The sequence comparison algorithm then calculates the percent sequence identities for the test sequences relative to the reference sequence, based on the program parameters.

A “comparison window”, as used herein, includes reference to a segment of any one of the number of contiguous positions selected from the group consisting of from 20 to 600, usually about 50 to about 200, more usually about 100 to about 150 in which a sequence may be compared to a reference sequence of the same number of contiguous positions after the two sequences are optimally aligned. Methods of alignment of sequence for comparison are well-known in the art. Optimal alignment of sequences for comparison can be conducted, e.g., by the local homology algorithm of Smith & Waterman, Adv. Appl. Math. 2:482, 1981, by the homology alignment algorithm of Needleman & Wunsch, J. Mol. Biol. 48:443, 1970, by the search for similarity method of person & Lipman, Proc. Nat'l. Acad. Sci. USA 85:2444, 1988, by computerized implementations of these algorithms (GAP, BESTFIT, FASTA, and TFASTA in the Wisconsin Genetics Software Package, Genetics Computer Group, 575 Science Dr., Madison, Wis.), or by manual alignment and visual inspection. Other algorithms for determining homology or identity include, for example, in addition to a BLAST program (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool at the National Center for Biological Information), ALIGN, AMAS (Analysis of Multiply Aligned Sequences), AMPS (Protein Multiple Sequence Alignment), ASSET (Aligned Segment Statistical Evaluation Tool), BANDS, BESTSCOR, BIOSCAN (Biological Sequence Comparative Analysis Node), BLIMPS (BLocks IMProved Searcher), FASTA, Intervals & Points, BMB, CLUSTAL V, CLUSTAL W, CONSENSUS, LCONSENSUS, WCONSENSUS, Smith-Waterman algorithm, DARWIN, Las Vegas algorithm, FNAT (Forced Nucleotide Alignment Tool), Framealign, Framesearch, DYNAMIC, FILTER, FSAP (Fristensky Sequence Analysis Package), GAP (Global Alignment Program), GENAL, GIBBS, GenQuest, ISSC (Sensitive Sequence Comparison), LALIGN (Local Sequence Alignment), LCP (Local Content Program), MACAW (Multiple Alignment Construction & Analysis Workbench), MAP (Multiple Alignment Program), MBLKP, MBLKN, PMA (Pattern-Induced Multi-sequence Alignment), SAGA (Sequence Alignment by Genetic Algorithm) and WHAT-IF. Such alignment programs can also be used to screen genome databases to identify polynucleotide sequences having substantially identical sequences. A number of genome databases are available, for example, a substantial portion of the human genome is available as part of the Human Genome Sequencing Project (Gibbs, 1995). At least twenty-one other genomes have already been sequenced, including, for example, M. genitalium (Fraser et al., 1995), M. jannaschii (Bult et al., 1996), H. influenzae (Fleischmann et al., 1995), E. coli (Blattner et al., 1997), and yeast (S. cerevisiae) (Mewes et al., 1997), and D. melanogaster (Adams et al., 2000). Significant progress has also been made in sequencing the genomes of model organism, such as mouse, C. elegans, and Arabadopsis sp. Several databases containing genomic information annotated with some functional information are maintained by different organization, and are accessible via the internet, for example, see the databases available on the world wide web at the web sites for The Institute for Genomic Research, The University of Wisconsin, at Stanford University, The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), The European Bioinforatics Institute, The Institute Pasteur, The Whitehead Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the HIV Databases at the Los Alamos National Laboratory web site.

One example of a useful algorithm is BLAST and BLAST 2.0 algorithms, which are described in Altschul et al., Nuc. Acids Res. 25:3389-3402, 1977, and Altschul et al., J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410, 1990, respectively. Software for performing BLAST analyses is publicly available through the National Center for Biotechnology Information world wide web site. This algorithm involves first identifying high scoring sequence pairs (HSPs) by identifying short words of length W in the query sequence, which either match or satisfy some positive-valued threshold score T when aligned with a word of the same length in a database sequence. T is referred to as the neighborhood word score threshold (Altschul et al., supra). These initial neighborhood word hits act as seeds for initiating searches to find longer HSPs containing them. The word hits are extended in both directions along each sequence for as far as the cumulative alignment score can be increased. Cumulative scores are calculated using, for nucleotide sequences, the parameters M (reward score for a pair of matching residues; always >0). For amino acid sequences, a scoring matrix is used to calculate the cumulative score. Extension of the word hits in each direction are halted when: the cumulative alignment score falls off by the quantity X from its maximum achieved value; the cumulative score goes to zero or below, due to the accumulation of one or more negative-scoring residue alignments; or the end of either sequence is reached. The BLAST algorithm parameters W, T, and X determine the sensitivity and speed of the alignment. The BLASTN program (for nucleotide sequences) uses as defaults a word length (W) of 11, an expectation (E) of 10, M=5, N=−4 and a comparison of both strands. For amino acid sequences, the BLASTP program uses as defaults a word length of 3, and expectations (E) of 10, and the BLOSUM62 scoring matrix (see Henikoff & Henikoff, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:10915, 1989) alignments (B) of 50, expectation (E) of 10, M=5, N=−4, and a comparison of both strands.

The BLAST algorithm also performs a statistical analysis of the similarity between two sequences (see, e.g., Karlin & Altschul, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:5873, 1993). One measure of similarity provided by BLAST algorithm is the smallest sum probability (P(N)), which provides an indication of the probability by which a match between two nucleotide or amino acid sequences would occur by chance. For example, a nucleic acid is considered similar to a references sequence if the smallest sum probability in a comparison of the test nucleic acid to the reference nucleic acid is less than about 0.2, more preferably less than about 0.01, and most preferably less than about 0.001.

In one embodiment, protein and nucleic acid sequence homologies are evaluated using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (“BLAST”) In particular, five specific BLAST programs are used to perform the following task:

(1) BLASTP and BLAST3 compare an amino acid query sequence against a protein sequence database;

(2) BLASTN compares a nucleotide query sequence against a nucleotide sequence database;

(3) BLASTX compares the six-frame conceptual translation products of a query nucleotide sequence (both strands) against a protein sequence database;

(4) TBLASTN compares a query protein sequence against a nucleotide sequence database translated in all six reading frames (both strands); and

(5) TBLASTX compares the six-frame translations of a nucleotide query sequence against the six-frame translations of a nucleotide sequence database.

The BLAST programs identify homologous sequences by identifying similar segments, which are referred to herein as “high-scoring segment pairs,” between a query amino or nucleic acid sequence and a test sequence which is preferably obtained from a protein or nucleic acid sequence database. High-scoring segment pairs are preferably identified (i.e., aligned) by means of a scoring matrix, many of which are known in the art. Preferably, the scoring matrix used is the BLOSUM62 matrix (Gonnet et al., Science 256:1443-1445, 1992; Henikoff and Henikoff, Proteins 17:49-61, 1993). Less preferably, the PAM or PAM250 matrices may also be used (see, e.g., Schwartz and Dayhoff, eds., 1978, Matrices for Detecting Distance Relationships: Atlas of Protein Sequence and Structure, Washington: National Biomedical Research Foundation). BLAST programs are accessible through the U.S. National Library of Medicine, e.g., at The National Center for Biotechnology Information web site.

The parameters used with the above algorithms may be adapted depending on the sequence length and degree of homology studied. In some embodiments, the parameters may be the default parameters used by the algorithms in the absence of instructions from the user.

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of an identifier process 300 for detecting the presence of a feature in a sequence. The process 300 begins at a start state 302 and then moves to a state 304 wherein a first sequence that is to be checked for features is stored to a memory 115 in the computer system 100. The process 300 then moves to a state 306 wherein a database of sequence features is opened. Such a database would include a list of each feature's attributes along with the name of the feature. For example, a feature name could be “Initiation Codon” and the attribute would be “ATG”. Another example would be the feature name “TAATAA Box” and the feature attribute would be “TAATAA”. An example of such a database is produced by the University of Wisconsin Genetics Computer Group (GCG) and available at the GCG world wide web site. Alternatively, the features may be structural polypeptide motifs such as alpha helices, beta sheets, or functional polypeptide motifs such as enzymatic active sites, helix-turn-helix motifs or other motifs known to those skilled in the art.

The following examples are intended to illustrate, but not limit, the invention.

EXAMPLE 1 Identification of Proteins Interacting with Glutamate Transporter Proteins

Yeast Two-Hybrid with EAAT4 Yeast two-hybrid screens were performed using the HF7c′ yeast strain harboring the reporter genes HIS 3 and β-galactosidase (β-gal) under the control of GAL4 activation. The final 77 amino acids of EAAT4 (carboxy-intracellular domain SEQ ID NO:12) were subcloned in-frame into pGBT9 (GAL4 binding domain vector, CLONTECH) and used to screen a rat brain cDNA library constructed in pGAD10 (GAL4 activation domain vector, CLONTECH). The plasmids were transforrned into HF7c′ yeast cells and positive clones selected on triple-minus plates (Leu−, Trp−, His−) and assayed for β-galactosidase activity. Positive clones were co-transformed with either the bait vector or the original pGAD10 vector into yeast cells to confirm the interaction. For a subsequent EAAT4 C-terminal domain analysis, different regions of the final 77 amino acids of EAAT4 were subcloned in-frame into the pGBT9 vector.

Yeast Two-Hybrid Screen with EAAC1 The MATCHMAKER Two-Hybrid System (Clontech) was used for screening. Using the carboxy-terminal intracellular domain of EAAC1 (the carboxy-87 amino acids, cDNA position 1458-1719; SEQ ID NO;13) as bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen of an adult rat brain cDNA library, 78 clones displaying β-galactosidase activity were identified. Plasmid DNAs were isolated from positive clones and re-co-transforrned with bait cDNA back into yeast to reconfirm the interaction. Restriction and sequencing analyses revealed that ten of these clones with the strongest β-galactosidase activity were identical.

EXAMPLE 2 Isolation and Primary Structure of Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins

Cloning of full-length GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 cDNAs. Marathon cDNA amplification (CLONTECH) was used to perform both 5′- and 3′-RACE on cDNA synthesized from rat brain poly(A)⁺ RNA. The double-stranded cDNA was ligated to the Marathon cDNA Adaptor which contains an adaptor primer (AP1) binding site. The 1.1 kb GTRAP4-41 and 1.4 kb GTRAP4-48 cDNA fragments identified using the yeast two-hybrid system were used to design gene-specific primers (GSPs) which could be used in 5′- and 3′-RACE PCR reactions along with the AP1 primer. The RACE products obtained were sequenced and new GSPs designed, generating a series of overlapping RACE products, which were joined together by PCR. Overlapping RACE products were put through ten cycles of denaturation, annealing and extension in the absence of primers. Nested primers were added and the PCR continued for a further 20 cycles to amplify the overlapped template.

GTRAP4-41 AND 4-48 Two independent cDNA clones were isolated and the proteins they encode were named GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 (for glutamate transporter 4 associated protein). Isolation of the full-length cDNAs by a series of 5′ and 3′ RACE PCR reactions demonstrated that the largest open reading frame (ORF) for GTRAP4-41 is 7,164 base pairs (SEQ ID NO:1), which encodes a 2,388 amino acid protein (SEQ ID NO:2) with a predicted relative molecular mass (M_(r)) of 270,958 Da (accession AF225960). A BLAST search of the GenBank database shows that GTRAP4-41 possesses 87% identity with β-spectrin III (accession AB008567). GTRAP4-41 possesses seventeen 16 amino acid spectrin repeats, two α-actinin domains and a pleckstrin homology domain (FIG. 1A).

The largest ORF identified for GTRAP4-48 (accession AF225961) is 4,581 base pairs (SEQ ID NO:3), which encodes a 1,527 amino acid protein (SEQ ID NO:4) with a predicted M_(r) of 168,698 Da. A BLAST search of the GenBank database shows that GTRAP4-48 is unique, but it possesses significant homology to the KIAA0380 cDNA-encoded protein (90% identity) and the recently described RhoGEF, p115. GTRAP4-48 posses multiple potential interaction and regulatory domains (FIG. 1D). GTRAP4-48 has a PDZ domain, a regulatory G-protein domain, a pleckstrin homology region (PH) and two proline-rich sequences (PRO). These regions have all been implicated in protein-protein interactions by interacting with the C termini of proteins and are thought to be important in the subcellular targeting of the interacting proteins (Katan et al., FEBS Lett. (1999) 452:36-40; LeVine Mol. Neurobiol. (1999); 19:111-149). The function of PH domain is not clearly clarified, several putative functions have been suggested; (1) binding to the β/γ subunit of heterotrimeric G proteins, (2) binding to lipids, (3) binding to phosphorylated Ser/Thr residues, (4) attachment to membrane by an unknown mechanism. The protein multiple PKC phosphorylation sites and one tyrosine kinase phosphorylation site. It contains 3 helix-loop-helix signatures. Finally, the protein contains a separated tandem periodic repeat of SQPEGS of undermined significance.

GTRAP3-18. Following isolation, one clone, E18, was completely sequenced and the protein encoded is named GTRAP3-18 (glutamate transporter EAAC1 associated protein). Clone E18 is a full-length cDNA containing initiation methionine and polyA tail (SEQ ID NO:5). GTRAP3-18 encodes a protein of 188 amino acids (SEQ ID NO:6) with a calculated molecular mass of 22.5 kDa. Protein analysis indicates that it is a very hydrophobic protein with four possible transmembrane domains. Both the carboxy-terminal and amino-terminal domains contain protein kinase C motifs and may be intracellular. JWA protein (Genbank NP006398), a novel human differentially displayed vitamin A responsive gene, is 95% identical to GTRAP3-18, suggesting that GTRAP3-18 is a rat JWA protein homologue.

EXAMPLE 3 Antibodies

Generation of Polyclonal GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 Antibodies

Affinity purified polyclonal antisera to EAAT4, GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 were produced using methods identical to previous studies (Rothstein et al., Neuron (1994) 13:713-725. Synthetic peptides corresponding to epitopes of EAAT4 (carboxy-terminal; EKGASRGRGGNESA; SEQ ID NO:14 and amino-terminal; KNSLFLRESGAGGGCL; SEQ ID NO:15), rat GTRAP4-41 (KRGPAPSPMPQSRSSE; SEQ ID NO:16) and rat GTRAP4-48 (KTPERTSPSHHRQPSD; SEQ ID NO:17) were synthesized. Monospecific antibodies to GTRAP4-41 and 4-48 were produced.

The affinity-purified GTRAP4-41 antibodies recognize a 270 KDa protein in HEK 293T cells transfected with the full-length GTRAP4-41 cDNA and the affinity-purified GTRAP4-48 antibodies recognized a 170 KDa protein in HEK 293T cells transfected with the full-length GTRAP4-48 cDNA

Generation of Polyclonal GTRAP3-18 Antibodies. Affinity purified polyclonal antisera to GTRAP3-18 was produced as described in Rothstein et al. (1994) using the amino terminal region epitope, (KFFPGSDRFARPDFR SEQ ID NO:18).

EXAMPLE 4 Expression of Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins

Fusion proteins and in vitro binding. Full-length EAAT4 was subcloned into the EcoR I site of the GST-fusion vector pGEX-6P-1 (Pharmacia). Synthesis of recombinant proteins in BL21 cells (Novagen) was induced by 0.1 mM isopropyl β-D-thiogalactoside for 2 hrs at 30° C. and purified according to the protocol provided by the manufacturer (Pharmacia). HEK 293T cells were transfected with myc-tagged GTRAP4-41 or GTRAP4-48 and harvested in ice-cold immunoprecipitation (IP) buffer (phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.1), 5 mM EDTA, 1 mM sodium orthovanadate, 0.1 mM phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride (PMSF), 0.3 μM aprotinin and 1% Triton X-100). The cellular lysate was incubated with GST or GST-EAAT4 immobilized on glutathione-Sepharose-4B, and washed to remove non-specifically bound proteins. Specifically bound proteins were eluted with 2×SDS loading buffer and analyzed by immunoblotting using an anti-c-myc antibody.

The Glutathione S-transferase (GST) Gene Fusion System (Pharmacia) was used to construct and generate GST-EAAC1 and GST-GTRAP3-18 fusion proteins using pGEX-6P-1 vector as described herein.

GTRAP4-41 and 4-48 Expression Constructs. For transient expression in HEK 293T cells full-length EAAT4 cDNA was subcloned into the EcoR I/BamH I site of the mammalian expression vector pRK5 (Genentech). For co-immunoprecipitation full-length GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 cDNAs were subcloned into the Not I site of a myc-tagged pRK5 vector.

Cell culture and cell transfection. HEK 293T cells were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (Rockville, Md.) and maintained in MEM medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and L-glutamine. For transient transfections cells, were pre-washed with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and incubated for 10 min at 4° C. with 40 mg of each plasmid DNA and 20 mg of salmon sperm DNA. Cells were transfected by electroporation at 300 V and 500 μF with a gene pulser (Bio-Rad) and grown for 48-72 h in either 10 cm culture dishes or plated onto poly-D-lysine coated coverslips in 6-well plates for co-localization studies.

Subcloning, stable transfection and maintenance of cell lines The EAAT4 cDNA was subcloned into pcDNA3.1/Hygro(+) (Invitrogen) using the EcoR I restriction site. The plasmid was linearized with Ssp I, ethanol precipitated and transfected into HEK 293T cells using the calcium phosphate-DNA precipitation method. 50 mg of DNA per 10 cm dish was used. Cells were incubated with the precipitate in 5% CO₂ at 37° C. for 6 hours, the medium containing the precipitate was removed and the cells were washed twice with PBS before adding fresh MEM medium. 48 h after transfection, the cells were split to 50% confluency and hygromycin (Invitrogen) was added at a concentration of 50 mg/ml. Cell culture medium containing hygromycin was changed every 3 to 4 days. After approximately 2- to 3-weeks of selection, a serial dilution was carried out and cells were plated out, without selection, in a 96-well plate to obtain one cell per well. Several colonies were picked, expanded in selective medium and checked for expression by western blotting. Similarly, the GTRAP4-41 cDNA was cloned into pcDNA3 using the Not I restriction site and linearized with Ssp I. Selection was with G418 (Mediatech) at a concentration of 5 mg/ml. The GTRAP4-48 cDNA was cloned into the inducible expression vector pIND (Invitrogen) using the EcoR I restriction site and linearized with Sca I. Selection was with G418 and expression of GTRAP4-48 was induced with 5 mM Ponasterone A (Ecdysone-Inducible Mammalian Expression System, Invitrogen).

Co-immunoprecipitation in heterologous cells. Full-length GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 cDNAs were subcloned into the Not I site of a myc-tagged pRK5 vector and used to transfect the HEK-rEAAT4 cell line by electroporation at 300 V and 500 μF with a gene-pulser (Bio-Rad). After transfection (48-72 h), cells were solubilized with 1 ml of ice-cold IP buffer for 2 h at 4° C. with rotation and centrifuged to remove cellular debris. 5 μg of rabbit anti-NEAAT4 antibody was added to 0.5 ml of supernatant and incubated overnight at 4° C. 150 μl protein A-Sepharose (Pharmacia) was then added for 2 h at 4° C., washed once with IP buffer and three times with IP minus Triton X-100. Bound protein was eluted by boiling in 3×SDS loading buffer, and analyzed by immunoblotting using the anti-c-myc antibody.

GTRAP3-18 Expression. For transient expression in HEK 293T cells, full-length EAAC1 cDNA was subcloned into the EcoR I/BamH I site of the mammalian expression vector pRK5 (Genentech). For co-immunoprecipitation full-length GTRAP3-18 cDNA were subcloned into the Not I site of a myc-tagged pRK5 vector.

Cell culture and cell transfection of GTRAP3-18 For transient transfections cells were pre-washed with PBS, incubated for with 40 mg of each plasmid DNA/20 mg of salmon sperm DNA and electroporated as described herein. In some cases, C6 glioma cells, known to naturally express high levels of EAAC1, were transfected with GTRAP3-18.

EXAMPLE 5

To determine the biochemical interaction between Glutamate Transporter Associated Proteins and glutamate transporter proteins, binding and immunoprecipitation assasys in vivo and in vitro were performed.

GTRAP4-41 and 4-48 Immunoprecipitation with Fusion Proteins. Full-length EAAT4 was subcloned into the EcoR I site of the GST-fusion vector pGEX-6P-1 (Pharmacia). Synthesis of recombinant proteins in BL21 cells (Novagen) was induced by 0.1 mM isopropyl b-D-thiogalactoside for 2 hrs at 30° C. and prepared as a crude bacterial lysate by mild sonication in ice-cold 1 C PBS and solubilization in 1% Triton X-100. Cell debris was removed by centrifugation at 7,000 g and the cleared bacterial lysate applied to glutathione-Sepharose-4B (Pharmacia). HEK 293T cells were transfected with myc-tagged GTRAP4-41 or GTRAP4-48 as described herein and harvested in ice-cold immunoprecipitation (IP) buffer (phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.1), 5 mM EDTA, 1 mM sodium orthovanadate, 0.1 mM phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride (PMSF), 0.3 mM aprotinin and 1% Triton X-100) with 1% Triton X-100. The cellular lysate was incubated with GST or GST-EAAT4 immobilized on glutathione-Sepharose-4B, and washed to remove non-specifically bound proteins. Specifically bound proteins were eluted with 3×SDS loading buffer and analyzed by immunoblotting using an anti-c-myc antibody. Bands were visualized by HRP-conjugated secondary antibodies and ECL chemiluminescence (Amersham).

GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 bind to GST-EAAT4 fusion protein, but do not bind to GST.

Co-immunoprecipitation in heterologous cells Transiently transfected cells (as described herein) were solubilized with 1 ml of ice-cold IP buffer for 2 h at 4° C. with rotation and centrifuged to remove cellular debris. 1.2 mg of mouse anti-c-myc antibody was added to 0.5 ml of supernatant and incubated overnight at 4° C. 150 ml protein A-Sepharose (Pharmacia) was then added for 2 h at 4° C., washed once with IP buffer and three times with IP minus Triton X-100. Bound EAAT4 was eluted by boiling in 3×SDS loading buffer, and analyzed by immunoblotting using the anti-carboxy-terminal EAAT4 antibody.

GTRAP4-41, GTRAP4-48 and KIAA0380 (a close homolog of GTRAP4-48) are coimmunoprecipitated with EAAT4 protein using the amino-terminal anti-EAAT4 antibody.

Immunoprecipitation from cerebellum lysate. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat cerebellum was dissected, washed with 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 2 mM EDTA and 0.5 mM DTT, and homogenized on ice in buffer containing 20 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 10% sucrose, 1 mM EDTA, 0.1 mM PMSF, 0.3 mM aprotinin, 1 mM benamidine, 10 mg/ml leupeptine and 10 mg/ml pepstatine. Protein concentration was measured and adjusted to 2-3 mg/ml, and the homogenate was mixed in a 1:1 ratio with the solubilization buffer (homogenization buffer plus 2% Triton X-100). After 2 h, the lysate was spun at 10,000 g for 10 min. For each immunoprecipitation, 500 mg of the Triton-lysate was incubated overnight at 4° C. with 5 μg of the anti-amino-terminal EAAT4 antibody. Immune complexes were precipitated with protein A Sepharose (Pharmacia), washed three times with 10 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5) and 5 mM EDTA, eluted with 3×SDS loading buffer, and processed for western blot analysis. The filters were probed with affinity purified rabbit antibodies against GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48.

The biochemical interaction between GTRAP4-41 or GTRAP4-48 and EAAT4 was confirmed using an in vitro binding assay. Full-length myc-tagged GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 were expressed in HEK 293T cells. The solubilized cell extracts were then mixed with bead-linked GST-EAAT4 or GST alone and the bound proteins were eluted. GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 were specifically retained by the GST-EAAT4 fusion protein, but not by GST alone.

To further assess the interaction between GTRAP4-41 or GTRAP4-48 and EAAT4 in a cellular context, immunoprecipitation studies in transfected heterologous cells were performed. A stable rat EAAT4 expressing cell line was generated in HEK 293T cells (HEK-rEAT4) and transfected with cDNAs encoding myc-tagged GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48. Antibodies directed to the amino-terminus of EAAT4 were used to immunoprecipitate the antigen and any associated protein.

Western blot analysis using an anti-c-myc antibody demonstrates that GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 coimmunoprecipitate with EAAT4. No coimmunoprecipitation is observed when the precipitating antibody is omitted. Similarly, when the anti-c-myc antibody is used, EAAT4 is co-immunoprecipitated with GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48.

The GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 interaction with EAAT4 was then studied in vivo using solubilized brain preparations. GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 are co-immunoprecipitated with EAAT4 from brain by antibodies directed at the amino-terminus of EAAT4 but not by antibodies directed at the carboxy-terminus. However, since the site of interaction is within the carboxy-terminus of EAAT4, it is likely that the carboxy-terminal antibodies disrupt the protein-protein interaction. Furthermore, GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 appear to specifically interact with EAAT4, as GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 do not co-immunoprecipitate from brain with antibodies directed at the other glutamate transporters, e.g., GLT-1, GLAST and EAAC1. GTRAP4-48 is also not co-immunoprecipitated from brain with antibodies directed at GTRAP4-41. Similarly, GTRAP4-41 is not co-immunoprecipitated with antibodies directed at GTRAP4-48 from HEK 293T cells that were transfected with full-length myc-tagged GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48, indicating that there is no direct interaction between GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48.

GTRAP3-18 Immunoprecipitation. Coronal sections of rat brain were sliced at 1-2 mm intervals from the cerebellum to the olfactory bulbs. The cortex region was excised from the brain and placed in cold buffer A (50 mM Tris pH 7.5, 2 mM EDTA, 150 mM NaCl, 0.5 mM DTT). The tissue was washed three times in buffer A and the tissue was weighted. The tissue was then homogenized using a blender in 2.5 vol of buffer B (50 mM Tris pH 7.5, 10% glycerol, 5 mM Mg acetate, 0.2 mM EDTA, 0.5 mM DTT, 1 mM PMSF). The particulate material was removed by centrifugation at 15,000×g for 30 min at 4° C. The supernatant fraction was incubated with Protein A Sepharose beads and primary antibodies as described herein.

The interaction of GTRAP3-18 with EAAC1 was examined using in vitro and in vivo methods. For in vitro cell-free binding, EAAC1 was expressed as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase (GST), and GTRAP3-18 was produced and labeled with [³⁵S]-methionine by in vitro transcription and translation. Purified GST or GST-EAAC 1 fusion proteins immobilized on glutathione-Sepharose were incubated with [³⁵S]-labeled GTRAP3-18 protein. GTRAP3-18 specifically binds to immobilized GST-EAAC1 but not to GST alone, indicating an in vitro interaction.

Immunoprecipitation experiments were performed to test if EAAC1 and GTRAP3-18 interact in vivo. This was first examined in transfected HEK293 cells using amino-terminus c-myc tagged GTRAP3-18. EAAC1 is co-immunoprecipitated with c-myc-GTRAP3-18 in the cell extract prepared from co-expression cells but not from EAAC1 or c-myc-GTRAP3-18 single expression cells. Theses studies with single expression cells show that binding is specific since they rule out the possibility that the results are due to artifact from immunobead nonspecific binding or antibody cross-reaction, respectively. A truncated EAAC1 lacking the interacting carboxy-terminal domain (described herein) is not co-immunoprecipitated with c-myc-GTRAP3-18, further demonstrating the interaction of EAAC1 and GTRAP3-18. This interaction was specific, since EAAT4, another neuronal glutamate transporter subtype, is not immunoprecipitated with c-myc-GTRAP3-18. Identical results are obtained using COS-7 and C6 glioma cell lines.

To study the protein interaction in vivo, anti-EAAC1 or GTRAP3-18 polyclonal antibodies were used to immunoprecipitate EAAC1 or GTRAP3-18 from rat brain extract. Western blotting demonstrates that EAAC1 is specifically co-immunoprecipitated with GTRAP3-18, but not with GLAST, GLT-1 or EAAT4. Similarly, GTRAP3-18 was co-immunoprecipitated with EAAC1. These studies suggest that EAAC1 and GTRAP3-18 interact in vivo.

EXAMPLE 6

Identification of the EAAT4- GTRAP4-48 interaction site To evaluate the general/region and or amino acid motif required for the association of GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 with EAAT4, a series of two-hybrid screen using different EAAT4, carboxy-terminal truncations and GTRAP proteins as bait was performed. A series of successively larger carboxy terminal deletions of the 77-amino acid carboxy-terminal EAAT4 bait was used to identify regions necessary for ginding of GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 to EAAT4. Residues 555-561 (QEAELTLP; SEQ ID NO:9) and 527-534 (GRGGNESVM; SEQ ID NO:10) are required for GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 binding, respectively (FIG. 2).

EXAMPLE 7 Expression and Localization of GTRAP

Expression of GTRAP4-41 and 4-48 protein in brain. GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 are expressed exclusively in the brain. The highest level of expression of both proteins is in the cerebellum, and somewhat lower levels of expression in the cortex. The apparent molecular weight for GTRAP4-41 is greater than 201 kD; the apparent molecular weight for GTRAP4-48 is less that 200 kD. The native proteins migrate in PAGE identical to proteins expressed in transfected HEK cells

Expression of GTRAP3-18 mRNA in brain Northern analyses of GTRAP3-18 mRNA were performed in brain as well as various body organ tissues. Total RNA was isolated from various rat tissues using a Stratagene RNA isolation kit, separated on 1% agarose gel with 6.7% formaldehyde and blotted onto a nylon membrane (Gene-screen Plus; NEN) by capillary transfer. The blot was hybridized to the full length cDNA probe labeled with ³²P by random priming, washed for 2×10 min in 2×SSC, 0.1% SDS at 42° C., 1×20 min in 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS at 65° C. and autoradiographed overnight.

GTRAP3-18 mRNA is widely distributed; GTRAP3-18 mRNA is found in the brain, kidney, heart, muscle, liver and cortex. This pattern is consistent with the distribution of EAAC1 in peripheral tissues (Furuta et al., J Neuroscience (1997) 17:8363-8375; Shayakul et al., Amer. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol. (1997) 42:F1023-F1029). Similarly, GTRAP3-18 protein is expressed in many neural and non-neural tissues, based on immunocytochemical studies using a polyclonal oligopeptide antibody to the amino-terminus of GTRAP3. GTRAP3-18 protein appears to aggregate as multimers. The dimeric form of GTRAP3-18 is the predominant species in tissue homogenates. The dimeric form is also observed when purified GTRAP3-18 protein is detected using the amino-terminal GTRAP3-18 antibody, and when c-myc-GTRAP3-18 protein is detected using anti-c-myc antibodies. Immunohistological analysis of rat brain reveals that GTRAP3-18 protein is expressed widely and is primarily localized to neurons such as cerebellar Purkinje cells which is identical to the distribution of EAAC1. In transfected HEK293 cells, EAAC1 protein appears to be aggregated at the cell membrane, while GTRAP3-18 protein is typically localized to the cell membrane and cytosol, and co-associated with EAAC1 protein at the cell membrane.

Co-localization of GTRAP4-48 or GTRAP4-41 with EATT4 HEK cells, transientlytransfected with EAAT4 (20 μg) and/or GTRAP4-41 (20 μg) and/or GTRAP4-48 (20 μg), were fixed with paraformaldehyde (4%) in phosphate buffer (0.1 M, pH7.4) for 20 min. The cells were then permeabilized with 0.1% Triton X-100, stained with the primary antibodies EAAT4 (1 mg/ml) and c-myc (5 mg/ml) for 1 h, rinsed and incubated with Texas-red and FITC-conjugated secondary antibodies at dilutions of 1:200. Immunofluorescence was viewed with a confocal microscope. Confocal microscopy of transfected cells and of brain sections was performed with a Zeiss LSM 510 laser scanning microscope using fluorescein (Vector, #FI1000) and Texas red (Vector, TI12000) flurochromes.

Both GTRAP4-41 and 4-48 co-localize to membranes domains with EAAT4. GTRAP4-48 expression is associated with a re-distribution of the protein on the membrane in a punctate-like organization.

Immunohistochemistry The cellular localization of GTRAP4-41 and 4-48 was studied in rat brain tissue. Rat brain sections were stained, as previously described Furuta, A. et al., Neuroscience 81, 1031-1042 (1997)) using the following antibodies: carboxy-terminal anti-EAAT4 (1.5 μg/ml), anti-GTRAP4-41 (127 ng/ml) or anti-GTRAP4-48 (132 ng/ml) antibodies. Texas-red and FITC-conjugated secondary antibodies were used at dilutions of 1:200.

Both GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 are highly localized to rat cerebellar cortex, with prominent immunolocalization to Purkinje cell somas and dendrites.

GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 are selectively localized to brain. In rat, GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 are predominately expressed in the cerebellum, especially the cerebellar cortex with prominent immunolocalization observed in Purkinje cell somas and dendrites, with low level immunoreactivity in striatum, hippocampus and thalamus. Previous studies have shown that EAAT4 is selectively localized to cerebellar Purkinje cells, although low level expression is observed in cerebral cortex, hippocampus and striatum (Furuta et al., Neuroscience 81, 1031-1042 (1997)) Thus, GTRAP4-41, GTRAP4-48 and EAAT4 are co-localized in brain tissue.

GTRAP3-18 mRNA is widely expressed in brain regions and body organs, consistent with the distribution of EAAC1 (Hediger et al., Am. J Physiol 277, F477-F480 (1999); Hediger Am. J Physiol 277, F487-F492 (1999)). Similarly, GTRAP3-18 protein is expressed in many neural and non-neural tissues when protein localization is examined using a polyclonal oligopeptide antibody to the amino-terminus of GTRAP3. GTRAP3-18 protein appears aggregated as multimers. The dimeric form of GTRAP3-18 is the predominant species in tissue homogenates and the dimeric form is also observed when purified GTRAP3-18 protein is detected using the amino-terminal GTRAP3-18 antibody, as well as when c-myc-GTRAP3-18 protein is detected using anti-c-myc antibodies. Immunohistological analysis of rat brain reveals that GTRAP3-18 protein is expressed widely and primarily localized to neurons such as cerebellar Purkinje cells, identical to the expression pattern observed for EAAC1 (He et al., J Comp Neurol 418, 255-269 (2000); Rothstein et al. Neuron 13, 713-725 (1994)).

Localization in heterologous cells In transfected HEK293 cells, EAAC1 protein appears aggregated at the cell membrane while GTRAP3-18 protein is typically localized to the cell membrane and cytosol, and co-associated with EAAC1 protein at the cell membrane.

EXAMPLE 8 GTRAPs Modulate Glutamate Transport

To determine function relationships between GTRAPs and glutamate transporter proteins, sodium-dependent, glutamate transport activity was measured in HEK-rEAAT4 cells transfected with one or more interacting proteins.

To determine the effects of GTRAPs on glutamate transport function, Na⁺-dependent glutamate transport activity was measured in cells stably transfected with EAAT4, EAAC1, or another glutamate transporter protein and one or more interacter proteins. Stably transfected cells were grown in a monolayer on 6-well plates in MEM supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and L-glutamine. Assays were conducted when cells reached ˜80% confluency. The wells were pre-rinsed twice with 2 ml of ice-cold tissue buffer (50 mM Tris, 320 mM sucrose, pH 7.4). The cells were then incubated for 4 min at 37° C. with 1 ml of either sodium-(120 mM NaCl, 25 mM NaHCO₃, 5 mM KCl, 2 mM CaCl₂, 1 mM KH₂PO₄, 1 mM MgSO₄, 10% glucose and 10 mM glutamate) or choline-(120 mM choline Cl, 25 mM Tris-HCl pH 7.4, 5 mM KCl, 2 mM CaCl₂, 1 mM KH₂PO₄, 1 mM MgSO₄, 10% glucose and 10 mM glutamate) containing buffer labeled with L-[³H]Glu. Uptake was stopped by rinsing three times with 2 ml of ice-cold wash buffer (50 mM Tris pH 7.5 and 160 mM NaCl). Cells were solubilized in 1 ml of 0.1 N NaOH, and 500 ml of lysate was analyzed for radioactivity in a scintillation counter. Na⁺-dependent uptake was defined as the difference in radioactivity accumulated in Na⁺-containing buffer and in choline-containing buffer. Protein content was measured and glutamate uptake calculated as nmole glutamate per mg of protein. In some cases, homogenates were examined for EAAT4, GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 protein.

In an alternative protocol, HEK-rEAAT4 cells transfected with GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 were grown in a monolayer on 6-well plates in MEM supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and L-glutamine. Assays were conducted about 72 h after transfection using the method of Davis (Davis et al., J. Neurosci. 18, 2475-2485 (1999)). GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 were subcloned into the Eco RI site of HSV PrPUC amplicon parent vector (pHSVPrPUC) (Geller, A. I., et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U.S.A 87, 8950-8954 (1990)). 3.6 μg of amplicon vector DNA and 25 μg pBAC-V2 DNA were used to transfect 2-10⁷ baby hamster kidney cells according to previously published methods (Stavropoulos and Strathdee, J. Virol. 72, 7137-7143 (1998)). Virus was harvested about 72 hrs after transfection and titered as previously described (Bowers et al. Mol. Ther. 1, 294-299 (2000)). 2×10⁵ expression particles were injected intra-cisternally into male Sprague-Dawley rats (250 g) obtained from Zivic Miller. About 48 h after injection, the rats were sacrificed and synaptosomal preparations of the cerebelli were prepared using a polytron. Glutamate transport was measured by methods described herein.

GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 produce a two- to four-fold increase in glutamate transport, respectively. The co-expression of GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 results in a further increase in glutamate uptake. Kinetic analysis indicates that GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 produced an increase in the V_(max) of glutamate transport activity (FIG. 3). There is also a small increase in the K_(m) values when GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 are co-expressed, but these are not statistically significant, suggesting that the interacting proteins do not alter the affinity of the transporter for glutamate. GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 may therefore enhance glutamate transport either via an increase in the catalytic rate of the transporter or via an increase in cell surface availability. Results are presented in FIG. 3. GTRAP41 and GTRAP48 expression in HEK-rEAAT4 cells increase glutamate uptake significantly over vector alone (VA) transfected cells. Data in FIG. 3A are the mean±SEM of at least four independent observations and were compared by students t test, (**p<0.005). Concentration dependence of Na⁺-dependent L-[³H]-glutamate uptake was assayed in the presence of increasing concentrations of glutamate. In FIG. 3B, the values are expressed as the mean±SEM of a representative experiment carried out in triplicate. Kinetic data shows that GTRAP41 (□) increases the V_(max) from 222 to 605 pmol/mg/min and increases the K_(m) slightly from 7 to 11 μM, compared to EAAT4 alone (▴). GTRAP48 increases the V_(max) from 208 to 512 pmol/mg/min (•) and increased the K_(m) from 10 to 13 μM.

To test if GTRAP3-18 modulates EAAC1 function, sodium-dependent [³H]-glutamate transport was studied in HEK293 cells co-expressing both proteins, 72 hrs after transfection (Rothstein et al. Neuron 16, 675-686 (1996); Lin et al., Neuron 20, 589-602 (1998)). Total glutamate transport progressively decreases with increasing GTRAP3-18 protein expression (FIG. 4). GTRAP3-18 negatively modulates EAAC1-mediated glutamate transport. Glutamate transport was studied in HEK293 cells transfected with plasmids indicated in FIG. 4. GTRAP3-18 inhibited EAAC1-mediated transport, but had no effect on EAAT4 (n=6). The co-expression of GTRAP-3-18 has no effect on total EAAC1 protein expression. Analysis of HEK293 cells by confocal microscopy and surface biotinylation reveal no alteration in the membranous localization of EAAC1. Superoxide dismutase (SOD1) was used as a control. Eadie-Scatchard plot of glutamate transport in transfected HEK293 cells reveals a 4-10 fold decrease in affinity (n=4). This effect is specific for EAAC1; co-expression of GTRAP3-18 with EAAT4 has no effect on transport activity. The inhibition of transport is not due to a decrease of EAAC1 protein level by the co-expression of GTRAP3-18, as quantitated by Western blotting. Similarly, the loss of EAAC1 activity is not due to altered protein trafficking; even at high levels of GTRAP3-18 expression, when little EAAC1-mediated transport is observed, EAAC1 surface expression is unaltered as determined by surface biotinylation and confocal microscopy.

To evaluate the biochemical nature of altered transport, kinetic analyses were performed with HEK293 cells co-expressing EAAC1 and GTRAP3-18. EAAC1 and GTRAP3-18 co-expressing cells show a decrease in affinity (K_(m)=40 μM, Vmax=0.99 nmol/min/mg protein; n=4, P<0.01) without a shift in the V_(max) when compared to cells only expressing EAAC1 (K_(m)=9 μM; V_(max)=1.02 nmol/min/mg protein; FIG. 4A). Similar results are observed with other cell lines (COS7 and C6 glioma).

EXAMPLE 9 Cell Surface Levels of GTRAPs and Cytoskeletal Stability

To examine changes in the cell surface levels of EAAT4, a cell membrane-impermeant biotinylation reagent to label cell surface proteins selectively. Biotinylation of cell surface proteins was performed as described in Duan et al. (Duan, et al., J. Neurosci. 19, 10193-10200 (1999)). SOD1 was used to control for total protein and to determine whether the biotinylation reagent labels proteins in the intracellular compartment. Densitometry was performed using the NIH Image program.

The total amount of EAAT4 is increased when GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 are coexpressed (FIG. 5). In contrast the total amount of SOD1, a control for total amount of protein loaded, is unaltered or decreased in the GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 samples, respectively. The majority of the EAAT4 is biotinylated, indicating that it is at the cell surface. However the percentage of total EAAT4 that is at the cell surface remains the same when GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 are co-expressed. Taken together, these results indicate that GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 stabilize/anchor EAAT4 at the cell membrane, making it less likely to be internalized and subsequently degraded, rather than causing an increased trafficking of EAAT4 to the cell surface.

However it is also possible that there is increased expression of the cell's native gene. To address this question cells were treated 48 hrs after transfection with cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis. Quantification by densitometry shows that 12 hrs after treatment, the EAAT4 protein in HEK-rEAAT4 cells is reduced to 54±0.6% of the level prior to cycloheximide treatment. In contrast, 81±2% and 74±1.7% of the EAAT4 protein remains after 12 hrs when GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 are coexpressed, respectively. These results provide evidence that GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 do stabilize EAAT4 at the membrane.

EXAMPLE 10 GTRAP-Glutamate Transport Protein Interactions

To determine whether the EAAT4/GTRAP4-48 interaction is required to mediate the increase in EAAT4 activity, HEK-rEAAT4 cells were transfected with GTRAP4-48 constructs lacking the last 155 amino acids which were pulled out by EAAT4 in the yeast two-hybrid screen. The carboxy-terminally truncated GTRAP4-48 had only a modest effect on stimulating EAAT4 activity, indicating that the protein-protein interaction is responsible for the majority of the increase in uptake activity. HEK-rEAAT4 cells were co-transfected with GTRAP4-48 and a myc-tagged cDNA construct encoding the last 77 amino acids of EAAT4 to disrupt the interaction of GTRAP4-48 with full-length EAAT4. Co-expression of this construct inhibits the GTRAP4-48 mediated effect by approximately 25%, but co-expression of a smaller construct (residues 1452 to 1578), which lacked the GTRAP4-48 binding domain, has no effect. Taken together these results indicate that the EAAT4/GTRAP4-48 interaction plays an important role in the modulation of EAAT4 uptake activity.

These results are summarized in FIG. 6. FIG. 6A shows results of experiments in which HEK-rEAAT4 cells were transfected with a GTRAP48 construct that lacked the C-terminus (domain that interacts with EAAT4). Disruption of the EAAT4/GTRAP48 interaction significantly reduces the GTRAP48-mediated increase in EAAT4 uptake activity (*p<0.05). Disruption of the protein-protein interaction by overexpression of the EAAT4 C-terminus in HEK-rEAAT4 cells transfected with GTRAP48. The GTRAP48-mediated effect on EAAT4 activity was reduced by ˜25% (**p<0.005; FIG. 6B). Na⁺-dependent L-[³H]-glutamate was assayed in triplicate and values are expressed as the mean±SEM of six independent experiments. GTRAP41 and GTRAP48 significantly increased glutamate uptake in vivo (*p<0.05; FIG. 6C).

The physiological relevance of GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 on EAAT4 uptake activity in vivo was subsequently examined by the intra-cisternal injection of HSV amplicon vectors expressing GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48. Cerebellar glutamate uptake was measured 48 hrs after injection and found to be elevated when GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 are expressed but not when the control HSVlac amplicon vector was injected (FIG. 6C). Dihydrokainic acid (DHK), an inhibitor of GLT-1 mediated glutamate transport, has no effect on cerebellar glutamate uptake, ruling out any involvement of GLT-1. Unfortunately there is no method to distinguish functionally between GLAST, EAAC1 and EAAT4. However it has been have shown that GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 do not interact directly with any other transporter, it is likely that the observed increase in uptake is attributed to an increase in EAAT4 activity. Western blot analysis confirms increased expression of GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 in the cerebellum following the injections.

EXAMPLE 11 Clustering of Glutamate Transporter Proteins at Synapses

To examine whether GTRAPs are involved in, or associated with, the clustering of EAAT4 at synapses primary cultures of rat Purkinje cell neurons were examined immunocytochemically. Rat brain sections were stained, as previously described (Furuta et al., Neurosciences 81:1031-1042 (1997)) using the following antibodies: carboxy-terminal anti-EAAT4 (1.5 μg/ml), anti-GTRAP4-41 (127 ng/ml) or anti-GTRAP4-48 (132 ng/ml) antibodies. Texas-red and FITC-conjugated secondary antibodies were used at dilutions of 1:200.

EAAT4 and GTRAP4-41 immunoreactivity is observed throughout the soma and dendrites but is also found to colocalize in distinct clusters. Labeling with synaptophysin, a presynaptic protein, reveals that 71% of synapses possessed clusters of EAAT4 and GTRAP4-41 [n=12]. This perisynaptic distribution of GTRAP4-41 correlates with earlier EM studies that showed that EAAT4 is a perisynaptic protein. Similar studies could not be carried out for GTRAP4-48 due to low level of expression at this early developmental stage.

EXAMPLE 12

Interaction with Rho: Since GTRAP4-48 possesses areas of homology to p115 and PDZRhoGEF, two novel RhoGEFs that selectively activate Rho (Hart et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271, 25452-25458 (1996), Fukuhara et al., J. Biol. Chem. 274, 5868-5879 (1999)), interaction of GTRAP4-48 with the Rho family of GTPases was investigated.

Guanine nucleotide exchange assay. Small G proteins GST-RhoA, GST-CDC42 and GST-Rac were expressed in bacterial cells and affinity purified to ˜80% purity using a glutathione column. Twenty pmoles of each protein were incubated with 100 pmoles GTPγS for 10 min at 30° C. with varying concentrations of full-length GTRAP4-48 or p115. The binding reactions were filtered through BA-85 nitrocellulose and the amount of GTPγS bound to small G protein was quantitated by scintillation counting of the dried filters. The amount of GTPγS that bound to GST-RhoA, GST-Cdc42 and GST-Rac in the presence of full-length GTRAP4-48 or p115 was measured.

GTRAP4-48, like p115, demonstrates a specific guanine nucleotide exchange activity for Rho (FIG. 7). Co-immunoprecipitation assays also show that GTRAP4-48 interacts with the active form (in the presence of aluminium fluoride) of the Gα₁₃ subunit and therefore, may act as a link between G-protein coupled receptors and their downstream targets. However, unlike p115, regulation of the GTRAP4-48 RhoGEF activity by Gα₁₃ nor the stimulation of the GTPase activity of Gα₁₃ by GTRAP4-48 could be demonstrated. Rho is known to regulate the remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton through various actin-binding proteins, although the mechanism is not yet well characterized (Hall, Science 279, 509-514 (1998)).

Since GTRAP4-48 can activate Rho, expression of GTRAP4-48 was studied to determine if it could induce the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and whether it alters the distribution of GTRAP4-41, a possible actin binding protein. When GTRAP4-41 is expressed alone there is a close relationship between actin and GTRAP4-41 at the cell membrane but there are very few organized actin filaments. Conversely, when GTRAP4-41 and GTRAP4-48 are co-expressed, GTRAP4-41 is found to co-localize with actin in structures that resembled actin-stress fibers, a typical Rho-dependent effect. Overexpression of GTRAP4-48 also induces the formation of membrane ruffling and filopodia, suggesting some degree of cross-talk between the small GTPases, as these are typical Rac and Cdc42 dependent effects. These results indicate that there is a close relationship between GTRAP4-48 and the reorganization of GTRAP4-41 and the actin cytoskeleton.

EXAMPLE 13 Antisense Treatment with GTRAP3-18

To demonstrate tonic modulation of EAAC1 activity by GTRAP3-18, antisense oligomers were used to lower GTRAP3-18 expression in HEK293 cells. Western blot analyses and glutamate uptake assays reveal endogenous expression of EAAC1 and GTRAP3-18 protein in HEK cells, but no expression of other transporter subtypes, e.g., GLAST, GLT-1, or EAAT4. Antisense oligomers, targeted to the 5′-GTRAP3-18 transcript, were transfected into HEK293 cells.

Antisense oligomers specifically reduced endogenous GTRAP3-18 protein level (FIG. 8A, gray bars); EAAC1 protein level was not affected. Significantly, glutamate transport activity was concomitantly elevated with the reduction of GTRAP3-18 protein level (black bars).

To examine modulation of EAAC1 by GTRAP3-18 in vivo, GTRAP3-18 antisense oligomers were administered intraventricularly. Sequences for the novel phosphodiester oligonucleotides used were: sense GTRAP3-18: 5′-GTGAACCTTGCCCGCTC-3′, antisense GTRAP3-18: 5′-GAGCGGGGCAAGGTTCAC-3′ Oligonucleotides (5 μg/μL), separately or in combination were administered intraventricularly over 3-11 days, by mini-osmotic pumps (Alza Corp., Palo Alto, Calif.) as described previously (Rothstein et al., (1994)).

Eleven days of antisense treatment resulted in a reduction of GTRAP3-18 protein level and a significant increase in cortical glutamate uptake, whereas glutamate uptake was not altered in sense oligomer-treated animals (FIG. 8B). The effect was due to increased EAAC1-mediated transport because it was not altered by dihydrokainic acid (DHK), an inhibitor of GLT-1-mediated glutamate transport (Robinson et al. (1998) Neurochem. Int. 33:479-491). In kinetic studies of DHK-insensitive, cortical glutamate uptake from antisense-treated animals, the apparent affinity for glutamate was increased (antisense K_(m)=10 μM, V_(max)=1.08 nmol/min/mg protein) compared to artifical CSF or sense treated control animals (control K_(m)=19.7 μM; V_(max)=1.08 nmol/min/mg protein; FIG. 8C). These results suggest that GTRAP3-18 negatively modulates EAAC1 glutamate transport activity in vivo.

EXAMPLE 14 Regulation of GTRAP3-18 by Retinoic Acid

Human GTRAP3-18 (JWA protein) was originally identified as a retinoic acid responsive gene. Therefore, retinoic acid was tested for its ability to up-regulate GTRAP3-18 expression and consequently inhibit EAAC1-mediated glutamate transport in HEK293 cells. Retinoic acid induces a large increase in GTRAP3-18 expression, over a non-toxic dose range from 1-10 μM. A significant decrease in glutamate transport activity paralleled the increase of GTRAP3-18 protein level (FIG. 9). The loss of transport activity is not due to changes in EAAC1 protein level (FIG. 9A) or the cellular membrane localization of EAAC1 protein by retinoic acid as examined by fluorescent microscopy. To confirm that loss of transport activity was specifically due to GTRAP3-18 and not by other factors induced by retinoic acid or direct effects on EAAC1, a truncated EAAC1 cDNA, lacking the last 93 amino acids, was constructed. The truncation corresponded to the region used as bait in yeast two-hybrid screening, and was not able to interact with GTRAP3-18. Nevertheless, after transient expression in HEK293 cells, the truncated EAAC1 transported glutamate. Importantly, retinoic acid treatment does not alter activity of the truncated EAAC1 protein; even though GTRAP3-18 protein expression was markedly elevated (FIG. 10B). Thus, the loss of transport activity by retinoic acid was the result of GTRAP3-18 induction. Interestingly, truncated EAAC1 has increased glutamate transport activity compared to wild-type. Truncated EAAC1 had a K_(m) of 5.4 μM, which was greater than a three-fold increase in affinity compared to wild-type EAAC1 (Km=17 μM; FIG. 9C). This could reflect lack of natural inhibition of the truncated protein EAAC1 by endogenous GTRAP3-18-results similar to the effects of GTRAP3-18 antisense treatment (FIG. 9E).

To test this hypothesis in vivo, retinoic acid was infused intraventricularly (1-20 μM; 0-20 pmol/μL). After 4 days of treatment, cortical GTRAP3-18 protein expression was increased in a dose dependent manner, and this was associated with a significant decrease of total glutamate uptake (FIG. 9D, top panel). This effect is specifically due to decreased EAAC1-mediated transport because it was not altered by the glutamate transport inhibitor dihydrokainic acid, at a concentration that predominantly effects GLT-1 (Robinson et al. (1998)). Kinetic analysis of DHK-insensitive, cortical glutamate transport from animals treated four days with intraventricular retinoic acid reveals a 4-fold decrease in affinity compared to control transport (FIG. 9E) which is very similar to that seen in vitro (FIG. 9B). In addition, retinoic acid inhibition of glutamate transport could be reversed in vivo; chronic intraventricular treatment with antisense GTRAP3-18 oligomer (50-100 ng/day, for 7-10 days) blocks the retinoic acid (2.5 μM) induction of GTRAP3-18, and also blocks the inhibition of glutamate transport seen with retinoic acid treatment (FIG. 9D, top panel). Retinoic acid had no effect on glutamate transport by cells expressing GLT-1 or EAAT4.

EXAMPLE 15 Glutamate Transporter Associated Protein PCTAIRE-1

The glutamate transporter EAAT4 possesses high affinity Na⁺-dependent transport activity, as well as a unique ligand-gated C⁻ conductance. Largely located in the somatodendritic compartment of the cerebellar Purkinje cell, altered function of EAAT4 may contribute to the pathogenesis of spinocerebellar ataxia and alcoholic cerebellar degeneration. In an effort to delineate possible regulatory mechanisms of EAAT4, we have identified glutamate transporter associated proteins (GTRAPs). Using the amino terminus of rat EAAT4 as bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen, an interacting protein was isolated. Subsequent sequence analysis identified the GTRAP as PCTAIRE-1, a serine/threonine kinase related to the cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (cdk2) family. In vitro and in vivo co-immunoprecipitations from rat cerebelli were performed, confirming specificity of interaction; co-localization of EAAT4 and PCTAIRE-1 within the cerebellum was determined using immunofluorescence. In order to investigate regulatory physiology of the PCTAIRE-1/EAAT4 interaction, co-transfection experiments and pharmacologic manipulation were carried out. PCTAIRE-1, although a member of the cdk2 family, is present mainly in terminally differentiated tissues such as brain. It has been shown to interact with members of signal transduction cascades (14-3-3 proteins) and components of cellular protein networks such as p11, a target for annexin II. These data suggest a mechanism by which EAAT4 may be linked to cellular regulatory machinery via the GTRAP PCTAIRE-1.

Methods. Yeast Two-Hybrid Screening: Screening was performed using the AH109 yeast strain harboring the reporter genes ADE/HIS, as well α- and β-galactosidase. The initial 60 amino acids of EAAT4 were subcloned in-frame into pGBKT7 (GAL4 binding domain, CLONTECH), and used to screen a rat brain cDNA library constructed in pACT2 (GAL4 activation domain, CLONTECH). Following cotransformation and verification of true positive colonies, DNA sequence analysis was performed. Obtained sequences were compared to known GENBANK submissions, resulting in identification of a true postive with with >95% homology to the final 201 amino acids of rat PCTAIRE-1.

Creation of expression constructs: Full length rat PCTAIRE-1 was isolated from a rat brain cDNA library via PCR amplification using upstream and downstream primers based on the known PCTAIRE sequence. Products were cloned into pCMVmyc tagged eukaryotic expression vector (CLONTECH), and expression verified by western blotting.

Two PCTAIRE-1 proteins are identified. PCTAIRE-1a is encoded by PCTAIRE-1 nucleic acid sequence, nucleotides 251-451 and 583-1872 (SEQ ID NO:8) and PCTAIRE-1b is encoded by PCTAIRE-1 nucleic acid sequence, nucleotides 487-1872 (SEQ ID NO:22).

Immunoprecipitations. In-vitro coimmunoprecipitations were performed on stably transfected HEK cells expressing EAAT4. Vector DNA or myc-tagged PCTAIRE vector was then introduced. Following expression, cells were solubilized with ice-cold IP buffer and centrifuged to remove cellular debris. 0.5 ml of supernatant was then incubated with or without 1.5 μg anti-c-myc antibody (Boehringer-Mannheim). Complexes were then isolated using protein-A Sepharose, washed four times with IP buffer with and without Triton X-100, and visualized using SDS-PAGE. EAAT4 western blotting was performed using affinity purified rabbit polyclonal Ab at 1:200 dilution.

In-vitro coimmunoprecipitation of EAAT4 with myc tagged antibody in EAAT4 expressing HEK cells transfected with myc-labeled PCTAIREs is demonstrated.

In-vivo coimmunoprecipitation was performed using the cerebellum of a 5 day-old Sprague-Dawley rat. Homogenization was performed on ice using a buffer containing 20 MM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 10% sucrose, 1 mM EDTA, and protease inhibitors. The homogenate was mixed 1:1 with buffer containing 2% Triton X-100, and solubilized for 2 h at 4° C. 0.5 mg of protein was used for each immunoprecipitation. Antibodies to the carboxy terminal EAAT4 (2.0 μg), as well as antibody to the transporter GLT (2.0 μg) were used. In addition, blocking peptide was presorbed to EAAT4 Ab to further demonstrate specificity. Western blotting was performed using PCTAIRE-1 antibody at 1:200 dilution (Santa Cruz).

In-vivo coimmunoprecipitation of PCTAIRE by EAAT4 is found in neonatal rat cerebellum. A PCTAIRE doublet (62 and 68 kDa) is recovered by immunoprecipitation with c-terminal EAAT4 Ab, and inhibited by preabsorption of EAAT4 Ab with blocking peptide.

Transfection of EAAT4 expressing HEK cells with PCTAIRE results in diminished Na⁺-dependent glutamate uptake. HEK cells and EAAT4 expressing HEK cells were transfected with 1.0 μg of pCMV PCTAIRE plasmid, and allowed to express for 48 hours. Cell monolayers were then washed with tissue buffer (50 mM Tris, 320 mM sucrose, pH 7.4). The cells were then incubated for 4 min at 37° C. with 1 mL of either sodium-(120 mM NaCl, 25 mM NaHCO₃, 5 mM KCl, 2 mM CaCl₂, 1 mM KH₂PO₄, 1 mM MgSO₄, 10% glucose and 10 μM glutamate or choline-(120 mM choline-Cl, 25 mM Tris-HCl, 5 mM KCl, 2 mM CaCl₂, 1 mM KH₂PO₄, 1 mM MgSO₄, 10% glucose and 10 μM glutamate) containing buffer. Glutamate uptake assays were then performed using L-[³H]-Glutamate in the presence and absence of Na⁺. After rinsing, cells were lysed in 0.1 N NaOH and lysate radioactivity measured using a scintillation counter. Protein content was measured and glutamate uptake calculated as the difference between Na⁺ containing and sodium free values per mg of protein.

Inhibition of Na⁺-dependent glutamate uptake by PCTAIRE is reversible using the cdk2 inhibitor olomucine. HEK cells expressing EAAT4 were transfected with 1.0 μg of pCMV PCTAIRE plasmid as described above, and allowed to express for 48 hours. Prior to glutamate uptake assay, cells were treated with 100 μM olomucine for 30 minutes at 37° C. as indicated. Olomocine belongs to a class of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors which inhibit activity via competition at the ATP binding site.

Immunofluorescence microscopy displays colocalization of EAAT4 and PCTAIRE in the Purkinje cell layer of the rat cerebellum. A five day-old rat pup was perfusion fixed, the brain extracted, and 25 μm sections stained with antibodies to c-terminal EAAT4 (1.5 μg/mL) and PCTAIRE-1 (1.5 μg/mL). Prominent double-labeling is evident in the Purkinje cell layer, especially the cell soma, where EAAT4 is known to be present during the early postnatal period.

These results indicate that the serine/threonine kinase PCTAIRE interacts with the amino-terminus of the glutamate transporter EAAT4. This interaction results in downregulation of Na⁺-dependent glutamate uptake, and this process is reversible using an inhibitor of cyclin dependent kinases. In addition, immunofluorescence reveals that both EAAT4 and PCTAIRE localize to the cerebellum, particularly the purkinje cell layer. Although PCTAIRE bears homology to the family of cyclin dependent kinases involved in proliferation, it is found mainly in terminally differentiated tissues such as brain. Other EAAT4 interacting proteins have recently been identified, both of which interact at the carboxy-terminus, and upregulate glutamate uptake. GTRAP41 is a new member of the β-III spectrin family, and is likely an actin-binding protein. GTRAP4-48 is a novel RhoGEF that may provide a link between the heterotrimeric G-proteins and small GTP-binding proteins of the Rho family. Together with PCTAIRE, these interactors may regulate glutamate uptake through EAAT4.

It is to be understood that while the invention has been described in conjunction with the detailed description thereof, the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims. Other aspects, advantages, and modifications are within the scope of the following claims.

SEQUENCE LISTING <160> NUMBER OF SEQ ID NOS: 22 <210> SEQ ID NO 1 <211> LENGTH: 7240 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Rattus <220> FEATURE: <221> NAME/KEY: CDS <222> LOCATION: (1)..(7164) <400> SEQUENCE: 1 atg agc agc acc ctg tca ccc act gac ttc gac agc ttg gag atc cag 48 Met Ser Ser Thr Leu Ser Pro Thr Asp Phe Asp Ser Leu Glu Ile Gln 1 5 10 15 ggc cag tac agt gac atc aac aac cgc tgg gac ctg ccc gac tca gat 96 Gly Gln Tyr Ser Asp Ile Asn Asn Arg Trp Asp Leu Pro Asp Ser Asp 20 25 30 tgg gac aat gac agc agt tca gcc cgc ctc ttt gag agg tcc aga att 144 Trp Asp Asn Asp Ser Ser Ser Ala Arg Leu Phe Glu Arg Ser Arg Ile 35 40 45 aag gcc ctg gca gat gag cga gaa gcc gtg cag aag aaa acc ttc acc 192 Lys Ala Leu Ala Asp Glu Arg Glu Ala Val Gln Lys Lys Thr Phe Thr 50 55 60 aag tgg gtg aac tcc cac ctg gcc cgg gtg aca tgc cgg gtg gga gac 240 Lys Trp Val Asn Ser His Leu Ala Arg Val Thr Cys Arg Val Gly Asp 65 70 75 80 ctg tac agc gac ctg cgg gac ggg cgc aac ctc ctg agg ctc ctg gag 288 Leu Tyr Ser Asp Leu Arg Asp Gly Arg Asn Leu Leu Arg Leu Leu Glu 85 90 95 gtg ctc tcg gga gag acc ctg cca aaa ccc acc aag ggc cgg atg cgg 336 Val Leu Ser Gly Glu Thr Leu Pro Lys Pro Thr Lys Gly Arg Met Arg 100 105 110 att cac tgc ctg gag aat gtc gac aaa gca ctg cag ttc ctg aag gag 384 Ile His Cys Leu Glu Asn Val Asp Lys Ala Leu Gln Phe Leu Lys Glu 115 120 125 cag aag gtg cac ctg gaa aac atg ggc tcc cac gac att gtg gat ggg 432 Gln Lys Val His Leu Glu Asn Met Gly Ser His Asp Ile Val Asp Gly 130 135 140 aac cac cgt ctg acc ctt ggg cta gtg tgg acc atc atc ctc cga ttt 480 Asn His Arg Leu Thr Leu Gly Leu Val Trp Thr Ile Ile Leu Arg Phe 145 150 155 160 cag atc caa gac atc agt gtg gag aca gaa gac aac aag gag aag aag 528 Gln Ile Gln Asp Ile Ser Val Glu Thr Glu Asp Asn Lys Glu Lys Lys 165 170 175 tca gcc aag gat gcc ctg ctg ctg tgg tgc cag atg aag act gca ggg 576 Ser Ala Lys Asp Ala Leu Leu Leu Trp Cys Gln Met Lys Thr Ala Gly 180 185 190 tat ccc aat gtc aat gtg cac aac ttt acc acc agt tgg aga gat ggg 624 Tyr Pro Asn Val Asn Val His Asn Phe Thr Thr Ser Trp Arg Asp Gly 195 200 205 ctg gcc ttt aat gcc att gtg cac aaa cac cgg cca gac ctg ttg gat 672 Leu Ala Phe Asn Ala Ile Val His Lys His Arg Pro Asp Leu Leu Asp 210 215 220 ttt gag tcc ctg aag aag tgt aac gca cac tac aat ctg cag aat gct 720 Phe Glu Ser Leu Lys Lys Cys Asn Ala His Tyr Asn Leu Gln Asn Ala 225 230 235 240 ttc aat ctg gct gaa aag gaa ctt ggc ctg acg aag ctc ctg gat cct 768 Phe Asn Leu Ala Glu Lys Glu Leu Gly Leu Thr Lys Leu Leu Asp Pro 245 250 255 gaa gat gtg aac gta gac caa ccc gat gag aag tcc atc atc acc tac 816 Glu Asp Val Asn Val Asp Gln Pro Asp Glu Lys Ser Ile Ile Thr Tyr 260 265 270 gtg gcc act tac tac cac tac ttc tcg aag atg aag gcc ctg gct gtg 864 Val Ala Thr Tyr Tyr His Tyr Phe Ser Lys Met Lys Ala Leu Ala Val 275 280 285 gaa ggc aaa agg att ggc aag gtc ctg gac cat gcc atg gag gca gaa 912 Glu Gly Lys Arg Ile Gly Lys Val Leu Asp His Ala Met Glu Ala Glu 290 295 300 cac ctg gta gag aaa tat gag tcc ctg gcc tct gaa ctg ctg cag tgg 960 His Leu Val Glu Lys Tyr Glu Ser Leu Ala Ser Glu Leu Leu Gln Trp 305 310 315 320 atc gag caa acg att ggg acc ttc aat gac cga cag ctg gcc aac tcc 1008 Ile Glu Gln Thr Ile Gly Thr Phe Asn Asp Arg Gln Leu Ala Asn Ser 325 330 335 ctg agt ggc gtc cag aac cag ctg cag tct ttc aat tcc tac cgc acg 1056 Leu Ser Gly Val Gln Asn Gln Leu Gln Ser Phe Asn Ser Tyr Arg Thr 340 345 350 gtg gag aag cca ccc aag ttc aca gag aaa ggg aac ttg gag gtg ttg 1104 Val Glu Lys Pro Pro Lys Phe Thr Glu Lys Gly Asn Leu Glu Val Leu 355 360 365 ctc ttc acc atc cag agt aag ctg cgg gcc aac aac cag aaa gtc tac 1152 Leu Phe Thr Ile Gln Ser Lys Leu Arg Ala Asn Asn Gln Lys Val Tyr 370 375 380 aca cca cgc gaa ggc cgg ctc atc tcg gac atc aac aag gcc tgg gag 1200 Thr Pro Arg Glu Gly Arg Leu Ile Ser Asp Ile Asn Lys Ala Trp Glu 385 390 395 400 cgg cta gag aaa gcc gaa cat gag cga gag ctg gcc ctg cgc acg gag 1248 Arg Leu Glu Lys Ala Glu His Glu Arg Glu Leu Ala Leu Arg Thr Glu 405 410 415 ctg atc cgc cag gag aag ctg gag caa ctg gct gct cgc ttc gac cgc 1296 Leu Ile Arg Gln Glu Lys Leu Glu Gln Leu Ala Ala Arg Phe Asp Arg 420 425 430 aag gct gcc atg cgg gag acc tgg ctc agt gag aac cag cgc ctc gtc 1344 Lys Ala Ala Met Arg Glu Thr Trp Leu Ser Glu Asn Gln Arg Leu Val 435 440 445 tcc cag gac aac ttt ggc ctg gag ctg gca gca gtg gag gca gca gtg 1392 Ser Gln Asp Asn Phe Gly Leu Glu Leu Ala Ala Val Glu Ala Ala Val 450 455 460 cgg aag cat gaa gcc att gag aca gac att gtg gcc tac agc ggc cgg 1440 Arg Lys His Glu Ala Ile Glu Thr Asp Ile Val Ala Tyr Ser Gly Arg 465 470 475 480 gtg caa gcg gtg gac gcc gta gcc gca gaa ctg gcc gct gag cat tac 1488 Val Gln Ala Val Asp Ala Val Ala Ala Glu Leu Ala Ala Glu His Tyr 485 490 495 cat gac att aag cgc att gcg gcg cgg cag aac aac gtg gcc cgg ctc 1536 His Asp Ile Lys Arg Ile Ala Ala Arg Gln Asn Asn Val Ala Arg Leu 500 505 510 tgg gac ttc tta cga gag atg gtg gcc gcc cgc cgt gag cgg ctc ctt 1584 Trp Asp Phe Leu Arg Glu Met Val Ala Ala Arg Arg Glu Arg Leu Leu 515 520 525 ctc aac ctg gag ctg cag aag gtg ttt cag gac ctg ctc tac ctc atg 1632 Leu Asn Leu Glu Leu Gln Lys Val Phe Gln Asp Leu Leu Tyr Leu Met 530 535 540 gac tgg atg gca gag atg aag ggc cgg ctg cag tct cag gac cta ggc 1680 Asp Trp Met Ala Glu Met Lys Gly Arg Leu Gln Ser Gln Asp Leu Gly 545 550 555 560 aag cat ctg gct gga gtg gaa gat cta ctg caa cta cac gaa ctg gtg 1728 Lys His Leu Ala Gly Val Glu Asp Leu Leu Gln Leu His Glu Leu Val 565 570 575 gag gcg gac att gca gtt cag gct gag agg gtg cga gcg gtc agc gcc 1776 Glu Ala Asp Ile Ala Val Gln Ala Glu Arg Val Arg Ala Val Ser Ala 580 585 590 tct gcc ctg cgc ttc tgc gac cca ggg aaa gag tat aga cct tgc ggc 1824 Ser Ala Leu Arg Phe Cys Asp Pro Gly Lys Glu Tyr Arg Pro Cys Gly 595 600 605 ccg cag cta gtg tca gag agg gta gcc act ctg gag cag agc tat gag 1872 Pro Gln Leu Val Ser Glu Arg Val Ala Thr Leu Glu Gln Ser Tyr Glu 610 615 620 gcc ctg tgc gaa ttg gca gca act cga agg gcc cga ctg gaa gag tcc 1920 Ala Leu Cys Glu Leu Ala Ala Thr Arg Arg Ala Arg Leu Glu Glu Ser 625 630 635 640 cgt cgt ctc tgg agg ttc ctc tgg gaa gtg ggt gag gcc gag gcc tgg 1968 Arg Arg Leu Trp Arg Phe Leu Trp Glu Val Gly Glu Ala Glu Ala Trp 645 650 655 gtt cgg gag cag cag cac ctc ctg gcc tca gct gag aca ggc cgg gac 2016 Val Arg Glu Gln Gln His Leu Leu Ala Ser Ala Glu Thr Gly Arg Asp 660 665 670 ctg act ggt gtc ctc cgc ctg ctc aat aag cac aca gcc cta cgg ggt 2064 Leu Thr Gly Val Leu Arg Leu Leu Asn Lys His Thr Ala Leu Arg Gly 675 680 685 gag atg agt ggc cgc ctg ggg ccc ctg aag ctc acc ctg gaa caa ggt 2112 Glu Met Ser Gly Arg Leu Gly Pro Leu Lys Leu Thr Leu Glu Gln Gly 690 695 700 cag cag tta gtt gcc gag ggc cac cct gga gct aac caa gcc tca acc 2160 Gln Gln Leu Val Ala Glu Gly His Pro Gly Ala Asn Gln Ala Ser Thr 705 710 715 720 cgt gca gca gag ctc cag gcc cag tgg gag cga cta gaa gcc ctg gcc 2208 Arg Ala Ala Glu Leu Gln Ala Gln Trp Glu Arg Leu Glu Ala Leu Ala 725 730 735 gag gag cga gcc cag cgg cta gca cag gct gcc agc ctc tac cag ttc 2256 Glu Glu Arg Ala Gln Arg Leu Ala Gln Ala Ala Ser Leu Tyr Gln Phe 740 745 750 cag gca gat gcc aat gac atg gag gct tgg ttg gtg gac gca cta cgc 2304 Gln Ala Asp Ala Asn Asp Met Glu Ala Trp Leu Val Asp Ala Leu Arg 755 760 765 ctg gta tct agc cct gag gta ggg cac gat gag ttc tcc acg cag gcc 2352 Leu Val Ser Ser Pro Glu Val Gly His Asp Glu Phe Ser Thr Gln Ala 770 775 780 ctg gcc agg cag cac agg gcc ctt gag gag gag atc cga gcc cac cgg 2400 Leu Ala Arg Gln His Arg Ala Leu Glu Glu Glu Ile Arg Ala His Arg 785 790 795 800 cct aca ctg gat gcc ttg agg gag cag gct gca gcc ctg cca cct gca 2448 Pro Thr Leu Asp Ala Leu Arg Glu Gln Ala Ala Ala Leu Pro Pro Ala 805 810 815 ctg agc cac aca cct gag gta cag ggc agg gtg ccc act ctg gag cag 2496 Leu Ser His Thr Pro Glu Val Gln Gly Arg Val Pro Thr Leu Glu Gln 820 825 830 cac tat gag gag ctg cag gcc cgg gca ggt gag cgt gca cga gcc ctg 2544 His Tyr Glu Glu Leu Gln Ala Arg Ala Gly Glu Arg Ala Arg Ala Leu 835 840 845 gaa gca gcc ctg gcg ttc tat acc atg ctc agc gag gcc ggg gct tgt 2592 Glu Ala Ala Leu Ala Phe Tyr Thr Met Leu Ser Glu Ala Gly Ala Cys 850 855 860 ggg ctc tgg gta gag gag aag gag cag tgg ctc aac ggg ctg gcc cta 2640 Gly Leu Trp Val Glu Glu Lys Glu Gln Trp Leu Asn Gly Leu Ala Leu 865 870 875 880 cct gag cgc ctg gag gac ccg gag gtg gtc caa cag agg ttt gag acc 2688 Pro Glu Arg Leu Glu Asp Pro Glu Val Val Gln Gln Arg Phe Glu Thr 885 890 895 tta gag ccc gaa atg aac gcc ctg gct gca cgg att act gct gtc agt 2736 Leu Glu Pro Glu Met Asn Ala Leu Ala Ala Arg Ile Thr Ala Val Ser 900 905 910 gac ata gct gag cag ttg ctg aag gcc agt cca cca ggc aag gac cgc 2784 Asp Ile Ala Glu Gln Leu Leu Lys Ala Ser Pro Pro Gly Lys Asp Arg 915 920 925 atc att ggc acc cag gag cag ctc aac caa agg tgg cag cag ttc agg 2832 Ile Ile Gly Thr Gln Glu Gln Leu Asn Gln Arg Trp Gln Gln Phe Arg 930 935 940 tcc ctg gca ggt ggc aaa aag gca gct ctg aca tca gcc ctg agc atc 2880 Ser Leu Ala Gly Gly Lys Lys Ala Ala Leu Thr Ser Ala Leu Ser Ile 945 950 955 960 cag aat tac cac cta gag tgc aca gag acc cag gcc tgg atg aga gaa 2928 Gln Asn Tyr His Leu Glu Cys Thr Glu Thr Gln Ala Trp Met Arg Glu 965 970 975 aag acc aag gtc att gag tct acc cag gac cta ggc aat gat cta gct 2976 Lys Thr Lys Val Ile Glu Ser Thr Gln Asp Leu Gly Asn Asp Leu Ala 980 985 990 ggt gtg ctg gcc ctg cag cgg aag ctg gca ggc act gag aga gat ctg 3024 Gly Val Leu Ala Leu Gln Arg Lys Leu Ala Gly Thr Glu Arg Asp Leu 995 1000 1005 gaa gcc atc tct gcc cgg gtg ggt gag ctg acc caa gag gca aat 3069 Glu Ala Ile Ser Ala Arg Val Gly Glu Leu Thr Gln Glu Ala Asn 1010 1015 1020 gct ttg gct gct ggg cac cca gcc caa gcc cct gcc atc aac aca 3114 Ala Leu Ala Ala Gly His Pro Ala Gln Ala Pro Ala Ile Asn Thr 1025 1030 1035 cgg ctt gga gag gtt caa act gga tgg gag gat ctt cgg gca acc 3159 Arg Leu Gly Glu Val Gln Thr Gly Trp Glu Asp Leu Arg Ala Thr 1040 1045 1050 atg agg cgg aga gaa gag tcc ctg ggt gag gct cga cgg ctg caa 3204 Met Arg Arg Arg Glu Glu Ser Leu Gly Glu Ala Arg Arg Leu Gln 1055 1060 1065 gat ttc ctg cgc agc tta gat gac ttc cag gcc tgg cta ggc cgc 3249 Asp Phe Leu Arg Ser Leu Asp Asp Phe Gln Ala Trp Leu Gly Arg 1070 1075 1080 aca cag act gct gta gcc tct gag gaa gga cca gcc acc ctt cca 3294 Thr Gln Thr Ala Val Ala Ser Glu Glu Gly Pro Ala Thr Leu Pro 1085 1090 1095 gag gca gaa gcc ctc tta gcc cag cat gca gct ctg cgg gga gag 3339 Glu Ala Glu Ala Leu Leu Ala Gln His Ala Ala Leu Arg Gly Glu 1100 1105 1110 gtg gag aga gcc cag agc gag tac agc cgc ctc agg acc ttg ggc 3384 Val Glu Arg Ala Gln Ser Glu Tyr Ser Arg Leu Arg Thr Leu Gly 1115 1120 1125 gag gag gtg acc aga gac cag gct gat ccc caa tgc ctc ttc ctc 3429 Glu Glu Val Thr Arg Asp Gln Ala Asp Pro Gln Cys Leu Phe Leu 1130 1135 1140 aga cag agg ctg gaa gcc ctt gga acc ggc tgg gag gag ctg ggt 3474 Arg Gln Arg Leu Glu Ala Leu Gly Thr Gly Trp Glu Glu Leu Gly 1145 1150 1155 cgc atg tgg gag agc cgg caa ggc cgc ttg gcc caa gcc cat ggc 3519 Arg Met Trp Glu Ser Arg Gln Gly Arg Leu Ala Gln Ala His Gly 1160 1165 1170 ttc cag ggg ttt ttg aga gat gct cgc cag gct gag gga gtt ctc 3564 Phe Gln Gly Phe Leu Arg Asp Ala Arg Gln Ala Glu Gly Val Leu 1175 1180 1185 agc agc cag gaa tat gtt ctg tct cac acg gag atg cca ggg aca 3609 Ser Ser Gln Glu Tyr Val Leu Ser His Thr Glu Met Pro Gly Thr 1190 1195 1200 ctg cag gcg gcg gat gca gcc att aaa aag ctg gaa gac ttc atg 3654 Leu Gln Ala Ala Asp Ala Ala Ile Lys Lys Leu Glu Asp Phe Met 1205 1210 1215 agc acc atg gac gcc aat gga gag cgc atc cgt gga ctc ctg gag 3699 Ser Thr Met Asp Ala Asn Gly Glu Arg Ile Arg Gly Leu Leu Glu 1220 1225 1230 gct ggc cgt cag ctg gtg tcc aag ggc aat atc cat gct gag aag 3744 Ala Gly Arg Gln Leu Val Ser Lys Gly Asn Ile His Ala Glu Lys 1235 1240 1245 atc caa gag aag gca gac tcc atc gag aag agg cac aga aag aac 3789 Ile Gln Glu Lys Ala Asp Ser Ile Glu Lys Arg His Arg Lys Asn 1250 1255 1260 cag gag gcc gtg cag cag ctt cta ggc cgc ctt cgg gac aac cga 3834 Gln Glu Ala Val Gln Gln Leu Leu Gly Arg Leu Arg Asp Asn Arg 1265 1270 1275 gag cag cag cac ttc ttg caa gac tgt cag gag ctg aaa ctc tgg 3879 Glu Gln Gln His Phe Leu Gln Asp Cys Gln Glu Leu Lys Leu Trp 1280 1285 1290 att gac gag aag atg ctg aca gct cag gat gtg tcc tat gat gag 3924 Ile Asp Glu Lys Met Leu Thr Ala Gln Asp Val Ser Tyr Asp Glu 1295 1300 1305 gca cgc aac ctg cac acc aag tgg caa aaa cac cag gca ttc atg 3969 Ala Arg Asn Leu His Thr Lys Trp Gln Lys His Gln Ala Phe Met 1310 1315 1320 gcc gag ctg gca gcc aac aag gac tgg ctg gac aaa gtg gac aag 4014 Ala Glu Leu Ala Ala Asn Lys Asp Trp Leu Asp Lys Val Asp Lys 1325 1330 1335 gaa ggg cgg gag ctg act ctt gaa aag cca gaa ctc aaa gtc cta 4059 Glu Gly Arg Glu Leu Thr Leu Glu Lys Pro Glu Leu Lys Val Leu 1340 1345 1350 gtg tca gag aag ctg gag gac ctg cac agg cgc tgg gat gaa ctg 4104 Val Ser Glu Lys Leu Glu Asp Leu His Arg Arg Trp Asp Glu Leu 1355 1360 1365 gag act acc acc caa gcc aag gcc cgc agt ctt ttt gat gct aac 4149 Glu Thr Thr Thr Gln Ala Lys Ala Arg Ser Leu Phe Asp Ala Asn 1370 1375 1380 cgg gca gag cta ttt gcc caa agc tgt tct gcc ctg gag agc tgg 4194 Arg Ala Glu Leu Phe Ala Gln Ser Cys Ser Ala Leu Glu Ser Trp 1385 1390 1395 ctg gag agc ctg cag gcc cag ctg cac tca gat gac tat ggc aag 4239 Leu Glu Ser Leu Gln Ala Gln Leu His Ser Asp Asp Tyr Gly Lys 1400 1405 1410 gac ctc acc agt gtc aac att ctg cta aag aag caa cag atg ctg 4284 Asp Leu Thr Ser Val Asn Ile Leu Leu Lys Lys Gln Gln Met Leu 1415 1420 1425 gaa cga gag atg gct gtg aga gag aag gag gta gag gct atc cag 4329 Glu Arg Glu Met Ala Val Arg Glu Lys Glu Val Glu Ala Ile Gln 1430 1435 1440 gcc cag gca aaa gcc ctg gcc cag gaa gac caa agt gca gga gag 4374 Ala Gln Ala Lys Ala Leu Ala Gln Glu Asp Gln Ser Ala Gly Glu 1445 1450 1455 gtg gaa agg acc tcc aga gct gtg gag gag aag ttc agg gcc ttg 4419 Val Glu Arg Thr Ser Arg Ala Val Glu Glu Lys Phe Arg Ala Leu 1460 1465 1470 tgt cag ccc atg aag gac cgc tgc cgg cgc ctg caa gcc tcc cga 4464 Cys Gln Pro Met Lys Asp Arg Cys Arg Arg Leu Gln Ala Ser Arg 1475 1480 1485 gag cag cac cag ttc cac cgg gat gtg gag gat gag ata ctg tgg 4509 Glu Gln His Gln Phe His Arg Asp Val Glu Asp Glu Ile Leu Trp 1490 1495 1500 gtg acc gag cgg ctt ccc atg gcc agc tct ctg gag cat ggc aag 4554 Val Thr Glu Arg Leu Pro Met Ala Ser Ser Leu Glu His Gly Lys 1505 1510 1515 gac ttg ccc agc gtc cag ctt ctc atg aag aaa aac cag act ctg 4599 Asp Leu Pro Ser Val Gln Leu Leu Met Lys Lys Asn Gln Thr Leu 1520 1525 1530 cag aag gag atc cag ggc cat gag ccc cgg att gca gac ctc aaa 4644 Gln Lys Glu Ile Gln Gly His Glu Pro Arg Ile Ala Asp Leu Lys 1535 1540 1545 gag agg cag cgc act ctg aga aca gca gca gcg ggt cca gag ctg 4689 Glu Arg Gln Arg Thr Leu Arg Thr Ala Ala Ala Gly Pro Glu Leu 1550 1555 1560 gct gag ctc cag gaa atg tgg aaa cgc ctg agc cat gag ctg gag 4734 Ala Glu Leu Gln Glu Met Trp Lys Arg Leu Ser His Glu Leu Glu 1565 1570 1575 ctt cgg ggt aaa cga ctg gag gag gcc ctt cga gcc cag caa ttc 4779 Leu Arg Gly Lys Arg Leu Glu Glu Ala Leu Arg Ala Gln Gln Phe 1580 1585 1590 tat cgt gac gct gca gag gcc gag gct tgg atg ggg gag cag gag 4824 Tyr Arg Asp Ala Ala Glu Ala Glu Ala Trp Met Gly Glu Gln Glu 1595 1600 1605 tta cat atg atg ggc cag gaa aag gcc aag gat gag ctg agc gcc 4869 Leu His Met Met Gly Gln Glu Lys Ala Lys Asp Glu Leu Ser Ala 1610 1615 1620 cag gca gaa gtg aag aag cat cag gta cta gaa caa gcc ctt gct 4914 Gln Ala Glu Val Lys Lys His Gln Val Leu Glu Gln Ala Leu Ala 1625 1630 1635 gac tat gcc cag acc atc aaa caa cta gca gcc agc agt caa gat 4959 Asp Tyr Ala Gln Thr Ile Lys Gln Leu Ala Ala Ser Ser Gln Asp 1640 1645 1650 atg att gac cat gaa cat cca gag agc aca agg tta aca ata cgc 5004 Met Ile Asp His Glu His Pro Glu Ser Thr Arg Leu Thr Ile Arg 1655 1660 1665 caa gcc cag gtg gac aag ctg tac gcc ggc cta aag gag ctg gca 5049 Gln Ala Gln Val Asp Lys Leu Tyr Ala Gly Leu Lys Glu Leu Ala 1670 1675 1680 gga gag cgg cgt gag cgt ctg cag gag cac ctc agg ctg tgc cag 5094 Gly Glu Arg Arg Glu Arg Leu Gln Glu His Leu Arg Leu Cys Gln 1685 1690 1695 ctc cgc aga gag ctg gat gac ctg gag cag tgg ata cag gag cga 5139 Leu Arg Arg Glu Leu Asp Asp Leu Glu Gln Trp Ile Gln Glu Arg 1700 1705 1710 gaa gtc gtg gca gcc tcc cat gaa ctg ggc cag gac tat gag cat 5184 Glu Val Val Ala Ala Ser His Glu Leu Gly Gln Asp Tyr Glu His 1715 1720 1725 gtg act atg ctt cgg gac aaa ttc cga gag ttc tcc agg gac acc 5229 Val Thr Met Leu Arg Asp Lys Phe Arg Glu Phe Ser Arg Asp Thr 1730 1735 1740 agc acc att ggc caa gag cgt gta gac agt gcc aat gcc ctg gcc 5274 Ser Thr Ile Gly Gln Glu Arg Val Asp Ser Ala Asn Ala Leu Ala 1745 1750 1755 aat ggg ctc att gct ggg ggc cat gct gca tgg gcc acc gtg gcc 5319 Asn Gly Leu Ile Ala Gly Gly His Ala Ala Trp Ala Thr Val Ala 1760 1765 1770 gag tgg aag gac agt ctc aat gag gcc tgg gct gac ctg ctg gag 5364 Glu Trp Lys Asp Ser Leu Asn Glu Ala Trp Ala Asp Leu Leu Glu 1775 1780 1785 ctg ctg gac aca aga ggt cag gtg ctg gct gct gct tat gag ctg 5409 Leu Leu Asp Thr Arg Gly Gln Val Leu Ala Ala Ala Tyr Glu Leu 1790 1795 1800 cag cgc ttc ctg cat ggg gcc cgc caa gcc ctg gca cgg gtg cag 5454 Gln Arg Phe Leu His Gly Ala Arg Gln Ala Leu Ala Arg Val Gln 1805 1810 1815 cac aag cag cag cag ctt cca gat ggg acg ggc cgc gac ctc aat 5499 His Lys Gln Gln Gln Leu Pro Asp Gly Thr Gly Arg Asp Leu Asn 1820 1825 1830 gct gct gag gcc ctg cag cgc cgg cac tgc gcc tat gag cac gac 5544 Ala Ala Glu Ala Leu Gln Arg Arg His Cys Ala Tyr Glu His Asp 1835 1840 1845 atc caa gcc ctc agc act cag gtc cag cag gtt cag gac gat ggc 5589 Ile Gln Ala Leu Ser Thr Gln Val Gln Gln Val Gln Asp Asp Gly 1850 1855 1860 ctc agg cta caa aag gcc tat gct gga gac aag gct gag gaa att 5634 Leu Arg Leu Gln Lys Ala Tyr Ala Gly Asp Lys Ala Glu Glu Ile 1865 1870 1875 ggc cgt cac atg cag gca gtg gct gag gcg tgg gcc cag ctc cag 5679 Gly Arg His Met Gln Ala Val Ala Glu Ala Trp Ala Gln Leu Gln 1880 1885 1890 gga agt tct gct gcc cgt cgc cag ctg tta ctg gat acc aca gac 5724 Gly Ser Ser Ala Ala Arg Arg Gln Leu Leu Leu Asp Thr Thr Asp 1895 1900 1905 aaa ttc cga ttc ttc aag gct gtc cgg gag ttg atg ctg tgg atg 5769 Lys Phe Arg Phe Phe Lys Ala Val Arg Glu Leu Met Leu Trp Met 1910 1915 1920 gat ggg att aac ctg cag atg gat gcc cag gag agg ccc cgg gat 5814 Asp Gly Ile Asn Leu Gln Met Asp Ala Gln Glu Arg Pro Arg Asp 1925 1930 1935 gtg tcc tct gca gat tta gtc atc aaa aac caa caa ggc atc aaa 5859 Val Ser Ser Ala Asp Leu Val Ile Lys Asn Gln Gln Gly Ile Lys 1940 1945 1950 gca gag ata gag gca aga gct gac agg ttc tcc gcc tgc att gac 5904 Ala Glu Ile Glu Ala Arg Ala Asp Arg Phe Ser Ala Cys Ile Asp 1955 1960 1965 atg ggg caa gag ctg ctg gcc cgg aac cac tat gcc gct gag gag 5949 Met Gly Gln Glu Leu Leu Ala Arg Asn His Tyr Ala Ala Glu Glu 1970 1975 1980 atc tca gag aag ctg tct cag cta cag tcc cgg cgc cag gag aca 5994 Ile Ser Glu Lys Leu Ser Gln Leu Gln Ser Arg Arg Gln Glu Thr 1985 1990 1995 gct gaa aag tgg cag gag aag atg gac tgg cta cag ctt gtt ttg 6039 Ala Glu Lys Trp Gln Glu Lys Met Asp Trp Leu Gln Leu Val Leu 2000 2005 2010 gag gtg ctt gtg ttt ggg aga gat gca ggc atg gca gag gcc tgg 6084 Glu Val Leu Val Phe Gly Arg Asp Ala Gly Met Ala Glu Ala Trp 2015 2020 2025 cta tgc agt cag gag cca ttg gtg cga agt gca gaa ctg ggt tgc 6129 Leu Cys Ser Gln Glu Pro Leu Val Arg Ser Ala Glu Leu Gly Cys 2030 2035 2040 act gtg gat gaa gta gag agc ctc atc aag cgg cat gaa gcc ttc 6174 Thr Val Asp Glu Val Glu Ser Leu Ile Lys Arg His Glu Ala Phe 2045 2050 2055 cag aag tca gca gtg gcc tgg gag gag cgt ttc agt gcc ctg gag 6219 Gln Lys Ser Ala Val Ala Trp Glu Glu Arg Phe Ser Ala Leu Glu 2060 2065 2070 aag ctc act gcg ctg gaa gag cgg gag aat gag cag aaa agg aag 6264 Lys Leu Thr Ala Leu Glu Glu Arg Glu Asn Glu Gln Lys Arg Lys 2075 2080 2085 agg gag gag gag gaa cga agg aaa cag ccc cct act tca gag ccc 6309 Arg Glu Glu Glu Glu Arg Arg Lys Gln Pro Pro Thr Ser Glu Pro 2090 2095 2100 atg gct agt caa ccg gaa ggg agt ctg gta gat ggc cag aga gtt 6354 Met Ala Ser Gln Pro Glu Gly Ser Leu Val Asp Gly Gln Arg Val 2105 2110 2115 ctt gac act gcc tgg gat ggg acc cag tca aaa ttg cca cca tcc 6399 Leu Asp Thr Ala Trp Asp Gly Thr Gln Ser Lys Leu Pro Pro Ser 2120 2125 2130 aca caa gca ccc agc att aat ggg gtc tgc acg gac acg gag tcc 6444 Thr Gln Ala Pro Ser Ile Asn Gly Val Cys Thr Asp Thr Glu Ser 2135 2140 2145 tca cag cct ctg ttg gaa cag caa aga ctt gaa cag agc aat gtc 6489 Ser Gln Pro Leu Leu Glu Gln Gln Arg Leu Glu Gln Ser Asn Val 2150 2155 2160 cca gaa ggg cct gga tct ggc aca gga gac gag tcc agc ggg ccc 6534 Pro Glu Gly Pro Gly Ser Gly Thr Gly Asp Glu Ser Ser Gly Pro 2165 2170 2175 cgg gga gag agg cag acc ctg ccc cgg ggc cct gct ccg tct cca 6579 Arg Gly Glu Arg Gln Thr Leu Pro Arg Gly Pro Ala Pro Ser Pro 2180 2185 2190 atg ccc cag agc aga tcg tct gag tca gct cat gtt gcc acc ctg 6624 Met Pro Gln Ser Arg Ser Ser Glu Ser Ala His Val Ala Thr Leu 2195 2200 2205 ccc gca cga ggt gct gag ctc tct gct cag gaa cag atg gaa ggg 6669 Pro Ala Arg Gly Ala Glu Leu Ser Ala Gln Glu Gln Met Glu Gly 2210 2215 2220 acg ctg tgc cgc aaa cag gag atg gaa gcc ttc aat aag aaa gct 6714 Thr Leu Cys Arg Lys Gln Glu Met Glu Ala Phe Asn Lys Lys Ala 2225 2230 2235 gcc aac agg tcc tgg cag aat gtg tac tgt gta ctt cgg cgt gga 6759 Ala Asn Arg Ser Trp Gln Asn Val Tyr Cys Val Leu Arg Arg Gly 2240 2245 2250 agc ctc ggc ttt tac aag gat gcc agg gca gct agt gca gga gtg 6804 Ser Leu Gly Phe Tyr Lys Asp Ala Arg Ala Ala Ser Ala Gly Val 2255 2260 2265 cca tac cat gga gaa gtg cct gtc agt ctg gcc agg gcc cag ggc 6849 Pro Tyr His Gly Glu Val Pro Val Ser Leu Ala Arg Ala Gln Gly 2270 2275 2280 agt gtg gcc ttt gat tat cgg aaa cgc aaa cat gtc ttc aag ctg 6894 Ser Val Ala Phe Asp Tyr Arg Lys Arg Lys His Val Phe Lys Leu 2285 2290 2295 ggc ttg cag gat ggg aaa gag tat cta ttc cag gcc aag gat gag 6939 Gly Leu Gln Asp Gly Lys Glu Tyr Leu Phe Gln Ala Lys Asp Glu 2300 2305 2310 gca gag atg agc tca tgg ctg aga gtg gtg aat gca gcc att gcc 6984 Ala Glu Met Ser Ser Trp Leu Arg Val Val Asn Ala Ala Ile Ala 2315 2320 2325 act gcg tcc tcg gcc tct gga gag cca gaa gag cca gtg gtg ccc 7029 Thr Ala Ser Ser Ala Ser Gly Glu Pro Glu Glu Pro Val Val Pro 2330 2335 2340 agt gcc agc cgg ggt ctg acc agg gcc atg acc atg ccc cca gtg 7074 Ser Ala Ser Arg Gly Leu Thr Arg Ala Met Thr Met Pro Pro Val 2345 2350 2355 tca cag cct gag ggc tcc atc gtg ctt cgc agc aag gat ggc aga 7119 Ser Gln Pro Glu Gly Ser Ile Val Leu Arg Ser Lys Asp Gly Arg 2360 2365 2370 gaa aga gag cga gaa aaa cga ttc agc ttc ttt aag aag aac aag 7164 Glu Arg Glu Arg Glu Lys Arg Phe Ser Phe Phe Lys Lys Asn Lys 2375 2380 2385 tagttggggc aagactccca ggccagctcc ctccctctgt tcaggaaact gccagggact 7224 gtcgacagag accacc 7240 <210> SEQ ID NO 2 <211> LENGTH: 2388 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Rattus <400> SEQUENCE: 2 Met Ser Ser Thr Leu Ser Pro Thr Asp Phe Asp Ser Leu Glu Ile Gln 1 5 10 15 Gly Gln Tyr Ser Asp Ile Asn Asn Arg Trp Asp Leu Pro Asp Ser Asp 20 25 30 Trp Asp Asn Asp Ser Ser Ser Ala Arg Leu Phe Glu Arg Ser Arg Ile 35 40 45 Lys Ala Leu Ala Asp Glu Arg Glu Ala Val Gln Lys Lys Thr Phe Thr 50 55 60 Lys Trp Val Asn Ser His Leu Ala Arg Val Thr Cys Arg Val Gly Asp 65 70 75 80 Leu Tyr Ser Asp Leu Arg Asp Gly Arg Asn Leu Leu Arg Leu Leu Glu 85 90 95 Val Leu Ser Gly Glu Thr Leu Pro Lys Pro Thr Lys Gly Arg Met Arg 100 105 110 Ile His Cys Leu Glu Asn Val Asp Lys Ala Leu Gln Phe Leu Lys Glu 115 120 125 Gln Lys Val His Leu Glu Asn Met Gly Ser His Asp Ile Val Asp Gly 130 135 140 Asn His Arg Leu Thr Leu Gly Leu Val Trp Thr Ile Ile Leu Arg Phe 145 150 155 160 Gln Ile Gln Asp Ile Ser Val Glu Thr Glu Asp Asn Lys Glu Lys Lys 165 170 175 Ser Ala Lys Asp Ala Leu Leu Leu Trp Cys Gln Met Lys Thr Ala Gly 180 185 190 Tyr Pro Asn Val Asn Val His Asn Phe Thr Thr Ser Trp Arg Asp Gly 195 200 205 Leu Ala Phe Asn Ala Ile Val His Lys His Arg Pro Asp Leu Leu Asp 210 215 220 Phe Glu Ser Leu Lys Lys Cys Asn Ala His Tyr Asn Leu Gln Asn Ala 225 230 235 240 Phe Asn Leu Ala Glu Lys Glu Leu Gly Leu Thr Lys Leu Leu Asp Pro 245 250 255 Glu Asp Val Asn Val Asp Gln Pro Asp Glu Lys Ser Ile Ile Thr Tyr 260 265 270 Val Ala Thr Tyr Tyr His Tyr Phe Ser Lys Met Lys Ala Leu Ala Val 275 280 285 Glu Gly Lys Arg Ile Gly Lys Val Leu Asp His Ala Met Glu Ala Glu 290 295 300 His Leu Val Glu Lys Tyr Glu Ser Leu Ala Ser Glu Leu Leu Gln Trp 305 310 315 320 Ile Glu Gln Thr Ile Gly Thr Phe Asn Asp Arg Gln Leu Ala Asn Ser 325 330 335 Leu Ser Gly Val Gln Asn Gln Leu Gln Ser Phe Asn Ser Tyr Arg Thr 340 345 350 Val Glu Lys Pro Pro Lys Phe Thr Glu Lys Gly Asn Leu Glu Val Leu 355 360 365 Leu Phe Thr Ile Gln Ser Lys Leu Arg Ala Asn Asn Gln Lys Val Tyr 370 375 380 Thr Pro Arg Glu Gly Arg Leu Ile Ser Asp Ile Asn Lys Ala Trp Glu 385 390 395 400 Arg Leu Glu Lys Ala Glu His Glu Arg Glu Leu Ala Leu Arg Thr Glu 405 410 415 Leu Ile Arg Gln Glu Lys Leu Glu Gln Leu Ala Ala Arg Phe Asp Arg 420 425 430 Lys Ala Ala Met Arg Glu Thr Trp Leu Ser Glu Asn Gln Arg Leu Val 435 440 445 Ser Gln Asp Asn Phe Gly Leu Glu Leu Ala Ala Val Glu Ala Ala Val 450 455 460 Arg Lys His Glu Ala Ile Glu Thr Asp Ile Val Ala Tyr Ser Gly Arg 465 470 475 480 Val Gln Ala Val Asp Ala Val Ala Ala Glu Leu Ala Ala Glu His Tyr 485 490 495 His Asp Ile Lys Arg Ile Ala Ala Arg Gln Asn Asn Val Ala Arg Leu 500 505 510 Trp Asp Phe Leu Arg Glu Met Val Ala Ala Arg Arg Glu Arg Leu Leu 515 520 525 Leu Asn Leu Glu Leu Gln Lys Val Phe Gln Asp Leu Leu Tyr Leu Met 530 535 540 Asp Trp Met Ala Glu Met Lys Gly Arg Leu Gln Ser Gln Asp Leu Gly 545 550 555 560 Lys His Leu Ala Gly Val Glu Asp Leu Leu Gln Leu His Glu Leu Val 565 570 575 Glu Ala Asp Ile Ala Val Gln Ala Glu Arg Val Arg Ala Val Ser Ala 580 585 590 Ser Ala Leu Arg Phe Cys Asp Pro Gly Lys Glu Tyr Arg Pro Cys Gly 595 600 605 Pro Gln Leu Val Ser Glu Arg Val Ala Thr Leu Glu Gln Ser Tyr Glu 610 615 620 Ala Leu Cys Glu Leu Ala Ala Thr Arg Arg Ala Arg Leu Glu Glu Ser 625 630 635 640 Arg Arg Leu Trp Arg Phe Leu Trp Glu Val Gly Glu Ala Glu Ala Trp 645 650 655 Val Arg Glu Gln Gln His Leu Leu Ala Ser Ala Glu Thr Gly Arg Asp 660 665 670 Leu Thr Gly Val Leu Arg Leu Leu Asn Lys His Thr Ala Leu Arg Gly 675 680 685 Glu Met Ser Gly Arg Leu Gly Pro Leu Lys Leu Thr Leu Glu Gln Gly 690 695 700 Gln Gln Leu Val Ala Glu Gly His Pro Gly Ala Asn Gln Ala Ser Thr 705 710 715 720 Arg Ala Ala Glu Leu Gln Ala Gln Trp Glu Arg Leu Glu Ala Leu Ala 725 730 735 Glu Glu Arg Ala Gln Arg Leu Ala Gln Ala Ala Ser Leu Tyr Gln Phe 740 745 750 Gln Ala Asp Ala Asn Asp Met Glu Ala Trp Leu Val Asp Ala Leu Arg 755 760 765 Leu Val Ser Ser Pro Glu Val Gly His Asp Glu Phe Ser Thr Gln Ala 770 775 780 Leu Ala Arg Gln His Arg Ala Leu Glu Glu Glu Ile Arg Ala His Arg 785 790 795 800 Pro Thr Leu Asp Ala Leu Arg Glu Gln Ala Ala Ala Leu Pro Pro Ala 805 810 815 Leu Ser His Thr Pro Glu Val Gln Gly Arg Val Pro Thr Leu Glu Gln 820 825 830 His Tyr Glu Glu Leu Gln Ala Arg Ala Gly Glu Arg Ala Arg Ala Leu 835 840 845 Glu Ala Ala Leu Ala Phe Tyr Thr Met Leu Ser Glu Ala Gly Ala Cys 850 855 860 Gly Leu Trp Val Glu Glu Lys Glu Gln Trp Leu Asn Gly Leu Ala Leu 865 870 875 880 Pro Glu Arg Leu Glu Asp Pro Glu Val Val Gln Gln Arg Phe Glu Thr 885 890 895 Leu Glu Pro Glu Met Asn Ala Leu Ala Ala Arg Ile Thr Ala Val Ser 900 905 910 Asp Ile Ala Glu Gln Leu Leu Lys Ala Ser Pro Pro Gly Lys Asp Arg 915 920 925 Ile Ile Gly Thr Gln Glu Gln Leu Asn Gln Arg Trp Gln Gln Phe Arg 930 935 940 Ser Leu Ala Gly Gly Lys Lys Ala Ala Leu Thr Ser Ala Leu Ser Ile 945 950 955 960 Gln Asn Tyr His Leu Glu Cys Thr Glu Thr Gln Ala Trp Met Arg Glu 965 970 975 Lys Thr Lys Val Ile Glu Ser Thr Gln Asp Leu Gly Asn Asp Leu Ala 980 985 990 Gly Val Leu Ala Leu Gln Arg Lys Leu Ala Gly Thr Glu Arg Asp Leu 995 1000 1005 Glu Ala Ile Ser Ala Arg Val Gly Glu Leu Thr Gln Glu Ala Asn 1010 1015 1020 Ala Leu Ala Ala Gly His Pro Ala Gln Ala Pro Ala Ile Asn Thr 1025 1030 1035 Arg Leu Gly Glu Val Gln Thr Gly Trp Glu Asp Leu Arg Ala Thr 1040 1045 1050 Met Arg Arg Arg Glu Glu Ser Leu Gly Glu Ala Arg Arg Leu Gln 1055 1060 1065 Asp Phe Leu Arg Ser Leu Asp Asp Phe Gln Ala Trp Leu Gly Arg 1070 1075 1080 Thr Gln Thr Ala Val Ala Ser Glu Glu Gly Pro Ala Thr Leu Pro 1085 1090 1095 Glu Ala Glu Ala Leu Leu Ala Gln His Ala Ala Leu Arg Gly Glu 1100 1105 1110 Val Glu Arg Ala Gln Ser Glu Tyr Ser Arg Leu Arg Thr Leu Gly 1115 1120 1125 Glu Glu Val Thr Arg Asp Gln Ala Asp Pro Gln Cys Leu Phe Leu 1130 1135 1140 Arg Gln Arg Leu Glu Ala Leu Gly Thr Gly Trp Glu Glu Leu Gly 1145 1150 1155 Arg Met Trp Glu Ser Arg Gln Gly Arg Leu Ala Gln Ala His Gly 1160 1165 1170 Phe Gln Gly Phe Leu Arg Asp Ala Arg Gln Ala Glu Gly Val Leu 1175 1180 1185 Ser Ser Gln Glu Tyr Val Leu Ser His Thr Glu Met Pro Gly Thr 1190 1195 1200 Leu Gln Ala Ala Asp Ala Ala Ile Lys Lys Leu Glu Asp Phe Met 1205 1210 1215 Ser Thr Met Asp Ala Asn Gly Glu Arg Ile Arg Gly Leu Leu Glu 1220 1225 1230 Ala Gly Arg Gln Leu Val Ser Lys Gly Asn Ile His Ala Glu Lys 1235 1240 1245 Ile Gln Glu Lys Ala Asp Ser Ile Glu Lys Arg His Arg Lys Asn 1250 1255 1260 Gln Glu Ala Val Gln Gln Leu Leu Gly Arg Leu Arg Asp Asn Arg 1265 1270 1275 Glu Gln Gln His Phe Leu Gln Asp Cys Gln Glu Leu Lys Leu Trp 1280 1285 1290 Ile Asp Glu Lys Met Leu Thr Ala Gln Asp Val Ser Tyr Asp Glu 1295 1300 1305 Ala Arg Asn Leu His Thr Lys Trp Gln Lys His Gln Ala Phe Met 1310 1315 1320 Ala Glu Leu Ala Ala Asn Lys Asp Trp Leu Asp Lys Val Asp Lys 1325 1330 1335 Glu Gly Arg Glu Leu Thr Leu Glu Lys Pro Glu Leu Lys Val Leu 1340 1345 1350 Val Ser Glu Lys Leu Glu Asp Leu His Arg Arg Trp Asp Glu Leu 1355 1360 1365 Glu Thr Thr Thr Gln Ala Lys Ala Arg Ser Leu Phe Asp Ala Asn 1370 1375 1380 Arg Ala Glu Leu Phe Ala Gln Ser Cys Ser Ala Leu Glu Ser Trp 1385 1390 1395 Leu Glu Ser Leu Gln Ala Gln Leu His Ser Asp Asp Tyr Gly Lys 1400 1405 1410 Asp Leu Thr Ser Val Asn Ile Leu Leu Lys Lys Gln Gln Met Leu 1415 1420 1425 Glu Arg Glu Met Ala Val Arg Glu Lys Glu Val Glu Ala Ile Gln 1430 1435 1440 Ala Gln Ala Lys Ala Leu Ala Gln Glu Asp Gln Ser Ala Gly Glu 1445 1450 1455 Val Glu Arg Thr Ser Arg Ala Val Glu Glu Lys Phe Arg Ala Leu 1460 1465 1470 Cys Gln Pro Met Lys Asp Arg Cys Arg Arg Leu Gln Ala Ser Arg 1475 1480 1485 Glu Gln His Gln Phe His Arg Asp Val Glu Asp Glu Ile Leu Trp 1490 1495 1500 Val Thr Glu Arg Leu Pro Met Ala Ser Ser Leu Glu His Gly Lys 1505 1510 1515 Asp Leu Pro Ser Val Gln Leu Leu Met Lys Lys Asn Gln Thr Leu 1520 1525 1530 Gln Lys Glu Ile Gln Gly His Glu Pro Arg Ile Ala Asp Leu Lys 1535 1540 1545 Glu Arg Gln Arg Thr Leu Arg Thr Ala Ala Ala Gly Pro Glu Leu 1550 1555 1560 Ala Glu Leu Gln Glu Met Trp Lys Arg Leu Ser His Glu Leu Glu 1565 1570 1575 Leu Arg Gly Lys Arg Leu Glu Glu Ala Leu Arg Ala Gln Gln Phe 1580 1585 1590 Tyr Arg Asp Ala Ala Glu Ala Glu Ala Trp Met Gly Glu Gln Glu 1595 1600 1605 Leu His Met Met Gly Gln Glu Lys Ala Lys Asp Glu Leu Ser Ala 1610 1615 1620 Gln Ala Glu Val Lys Lys His Gln Val Leu Glu Gln Ala Leu Ala 1625 1630 1635 Asp Tyr Ala Gln Thr Ile Lys Gln Leu Ala Ala Ser Ser Gln Asp 1640 1645 1650 Met Ile Asp His Glu His Pro Glu Ser Thr Arg Leu Thr Ile Arg 1655 1660 1665 Gln Ala Gln Val Asp Lys Leu Tyr Ala Gly Leu Lys Glu Leu Ala 1670 1675 1680 Gly Glu Arg Arg Glu Arg Leu Gln Glu His Leu Arg Leu Cys Gln 1685 1690 1695 Leu Arg Arg Glu Leu Asp Asp Leu Glu Gln Trp Ile Gln Glu Arg 1700 1705 1710 Glu Val Val Ala Ala Ser His Glu Leu Gly Gln Asp Tyr Glu His 1715 1720 1725 Val Thr Met Leu Arg Asp Lys Phe Arg Glu Phe Ser Arg Asp Thr 1730 1735 1740 Ser Thr Ile Gly Gln Glu Arg Val Asp Ser Ala Asn Ala Leu Ala 1745 1750 1755 Asn Gly Leu Ile Ala Gly Gly His Ala Ala Trp Ala Thr Val Ala 1760 1765 1770 Glu Trp Lys Asp Ser Leu Asn Glu Ala Trp Ala Asp Leu Leu Glu 1775 1780 1785 Leu Leu Asp Thr Arg Gly Gln Val Leu Ala Ala Ala Tyr Glu Leu 1790 1795 1800 Gln Arg Phe Leu His Gly Ala Arg Gln Ala Leu Ala Arg Val Gln 1805 1810 1815 His Lys Gln Gln Gln Leu Pro Asp Gly Thr Gly Arg Asp Leu Asn 1820 1825 1830 Ala Ala Glu Ala Leu Gln Arg Arg His Cys Ala Tyr Glu His Asp 1835 1840 1845 Ile Gln Ala Leu Ser Thr Gln Val Gln Gln Val Gln Asp Asp Gly 1850 1855 1860 Leu Arg Leu Gln Lys Ala Tyr Ala Gly Asp Lys Ala Glu Glu Ile 1865 1870 1875 Gly Arg His Met Gln Ala Val Ala Glu Ala Trp Ala Gln Leu Gln 1880 1885 1890 Gly Ser Ser Ala Ala Arg Arg Gln Leu Leu Leu Asp Thr Thr Asp 1895 1900 1905 Lys Phe Arg Phe Phe Lys Ala Val Arg Glu Leu Met Leu Trp Met 1910 1915 1920 Asp Gly Ile Asn Leu Gln Met Asp Ala Gln Glu Arg Pro Arg Asp 1925 1930 1935 Val Ser Ser Ala Asp Leu Val Ile Lys Asn Gln Gln Gly Ile Lys 1940 1945 1950 Ala Glu Ile Glu Ala Arg Ala Asp Arg Phe Ser Ala Cys Ile Asp 1955 1960 1965 Met Gly Gln Glu Leu Leu Ala Arg Asn His Tyr Ala Ala Glu Glu 1970 1975 1980 Ile Ser Glu Lys Leu Ser Gln Leu Gln Ser Arg Arg Gln Glu Thr 1985 1990 1995 Ala Glu Lys Trp Gln Glu Lys Met Asp Trp Leu Gln Leu Val Leu 2000 2005 2010 Glu Val Leu Val Phe Gly Arg Asp Ala Gly Met Ala Glu Ala Trp 2015 2020 2025 Leu Cys Ser Gln Glu Pro Leu Val Arg Ser Ala Glu Leu Gly Cys 2030 2035 2040 Thr Val Asp Glu Val Glu Ser Leu Ile Lys Arg His Glu Ala Phe 2045 2050 2055 Gln Lys Ser Ala Val Ala Trp Glu Glu Arg Phe Ser Ala Leu Glu 2060 2065 2070 Lys Leu Thr Ala Leu Glu Glu Arg Glu Asn Glu Gln Lys Arg Lys 2075 2080 2085 Arg Glu Glu Glu Glu Arg Arg Lys Gln Pro Pro Thr Ser Glu Pro 2090 2095 2100 Met Ala Ser Gln Pro Glu Gly Ser Leu Val Asp Gly Gln Arg Val 2105 2110 2115 Leu Asp Thr Ala Trp Asp Gly Thr Gln Ser Lys Leu Pro Pro Ser 2120 2125 2130 Thr Gln Ala Pro Ser Ile Asn Gly Val Cys Thr Asp Thr Glu Ser 2135 2140 2145 Ser Gln Pro Leu Leu Glu Gln Gln Arg Leu Glu Gln Ser Asn Val 2150 2155 2160 Pro Glu Gly Pro Gly Ser Gly Thr Gly Asp Glu Ser Ser Gly Pro 2165 2170 2175 Arg Gly Glu Arg Gln Thr Leu Pro Arg Gly Pro Ala Pro Ser Pro 2180 2185 2190 Met Pro Gln Ser Arg Ser Ser Glu Ser Ala His Val Ala Thr Leu 2195 2200 2205 Pro Ala Arg Gly Ala Glu Leu Ser Ala Gln Glu Gln Met Glu Gly 2210 2215 2220 Thr Leu Cys Arg Lys Gln Glu Met Glu Ala Phe Asn Lys Lys Ala 2225 2230 2235 Ala Asn Arg Ser Trp Gln Asn Val Tyr Cys Val Leu Arg Arg Gly 2240 2245 2250 Ser Leu Gly Phe Tyr Lys Asp Ala Arg Ala Ala Ser Ala Gly Val 2255 2260 2265 Pro Tyr His Gly Glu Val Pro Val Ser Leu Ala Arg Ala Gln Gly 2270 2275 2280 Ser Val Ala Phe Asp Tyr Arg Lys Arg Lys His Val Phe Lys Leu 2285 2290 2295 Gly Leu Gln Asp Gly Lys Glu Tyr Leu Phe Gln Ala Lys Asp Glu 2300 2305 2310 Ala Glu Met Ser Ser Trp Leu Arg Val Val Asn Ala Ala Ile Ala 2315 2320 2325 Thr Ala Ser Ser Ala Ser Gly Glu Pro Glu Glu Pro Val Val Pro 2330 2335 2340 Ser Ala Ser Arg Gly Leu Thr Arg Ala Met Thr Met Pro Pro Val 2345 2350 2355 Ser Gln Pro Glu Gly Ser Ile Val Leu Arg Ser Lys Asp Gly Arg 2360 2365 2370 Glu Arg Glu Arg Glu Lys Arg Phe Ser Phe Phe Lys Lys Asn Lys 2375 2380 2385 <210> SEQ ID NO 3 <211> LENGTH: 4584 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Rattus <220> FEATURE: <221> NAME/KEY: CDS <222> LOCATION: (1)..(4581) <400> SEQUENCE: 3 atg agc ata cga ttg ccc cat agt ata gac aga tca gcc agt aaa aag 48 Met Ser Ile Arg Leu Pro His Ser Ile Asp Arg Ser Ala Ser Lys Lys 1 5 10 15 cag tct cac ctg tcc agt ccc att gca tcc tgg tta agt agc ctg tct 96 Gln Ser His Leu Ser Ser Pro Ile Ala Ser Trp Leu Ser Ser Leu Ser 20 25 30 tct ctg gga gat tct aca cct gaa cgc aca tcc cct tct cac cac cgc 144 Ser Leu Gly Asp Ser Thr Pro Glu Arg Thr Ser Pro Ser His His Arg 35 40 45 cag ccc tct gac act tct gag aca aca gca ggt ctt gtt cag cgc tgt 192 Gln Pro Ser Asp Thr Ser Glu Thr Thr Ala Gly Leu Val Gln Arg Cys 50 55 60 gtc atc atc caa aag gac cag cat ggc ttt ggc ttc aca gtt agt gga 240 Val Ile Ile Gln Lys Asp Gln His Gly Phe Gly Phe Thr Val Ser Gly 65 70 75 80 gat cgc att gta ctg gtg cag tcc gtg cgc cct gga ggc gca gcc atg 288 Asp Arg Ile Val Leu Val Gln Ser Val Arg Pro Gly Gly Ala Ala Met 85 90 95 aaa gct ggt gtg aaa gag ggt gac cgg atc atc aaa gta aac ggc acc 336 Lys Ala Gly Val Lys Glu Gly Asp Arg Ile Ile Lys Val Asn Gly Thr 100 105 110 atg gtg acc aat agc tca cac ctg gag gtg gta aag ctt atc aaa tct 384 Met Val Thr Asn Ser Ser His Leu Glu Val Val Lys Leu Ile Lys Ser 115 120 125 ggc gcc tat gct gcg ctt acc ctc cta ggc tct tct cct ccc tcc gtc 432 Gly Ala Tyr Ala Ala Leu Thr Leu Leu Gly Ser Ser Pro Pro Ser Val 130 135 140 ggc gtc tct ggg ctc cag cag aat cca tct gtg gca gga gtg ctc aga 480 Gly Val Ser Gly Leu Gln Gln Asn Pro Ser Val Ala Gly Val Leu Arg 145 150 155 160 gtt aac ccc atc att cct cca cca cct ccc ccg cca ccc ttg cca cct 528 Val Asn Pro Ile Ile Pro Pro Pro Pro Pro Pro Pro Pro Leu Pro Pro 165 170 175 cca cag cac att act gga ccc aaa cct ctt cag gat cct gaa gtc caa 576 Pro Gln His Ile Thr Gly Pro Lys Pro Leu Gln Asp Pro Glu Val Gln 180 185 190 aag cac gcc act caa atc ctc tgg aat atg cta aga cag gag gag gaa 624 Lys His Ala Thr Gln Ile Leu Trp Asn Met Leu Arg Gln Glu Glu Glu 195 200 205 gag tta cag gac ata ctt cca ccc tgt ggt gag acc agt cag aga aca 672 Glu Leu Gln Asp Ile Leu Pro Pro Cys Gly Glu Thr Ser Gln Arg Thr 210 215 220 tgt gag ggc cgc ctc tct gtg gac tcc cag gag gca gac agt ggc ttg 720 Cys Glu Gly Arg Leu Ser Val Asp Ser Gln Glu Ala Asp Ser Gly Leu 225 230 235 240 gat tct ggg aca gaa cgc ttt ccc tcc atc agt gag tca ttg atg aat 768 Asp Ser Gly Thr Glu Arg Phe Pro Ser Ile Ser Glu Ser Leu Met Asn 245 250 255 cgg aac tca gta ttg tca gat cct gga cta gac agc cct caa acc tcc 816 Arg Asn Ser Val Leu Ser Asp Pro Gly Leu Asp Ser Pro Gln Thr Ser 260 265 270 cct gta atc ctg gcc agg gtg gcc cag cac cac agg cga cag ggc tca 864 Pro Val Ile Leu Ala Arg Val Ala Gln His His Arg Arg Gln Gly Ser 275 280 285 gat gca gcg ttg ctc ccg ctc aac cac cag ggt ata gat caa agc cca 912 Asp Ala Ala Leu Leu Pro Leu Asn His Gln Gly Ile Asp Gln Ser Pro 290 295 300 aag cct ctg att att ggc cca gag gaa gat tat gac cca ggt tat ttc 960 Lys Pro Leu Ile Ile Gly Pro Glu Glu Asp Tyr Asp Pro Gly Tyr Phe 305 310 315 320 aac aat gag agt gac atc atc ttc caa gat ctt gaa aaa ctg aag tca 1008 Asn Asn Glu Ser Asp Ile Ile Phe Gln Asp Leu Glu Lys Leu Lys Ser 325 330 335 cat cca gct tac ttg gta gtt ttt cta cgt tac atc ctc tct cag gca 1056 His Pro Ala Tyr Leu Val Val Phe Leu Arg Tyr Ile Leu Ser Gln Ala 340 345 350 gac cct ggc ccc ctg ctt ttt tat ttg tgt tca gaa gtt tat caa cag 1104 Asp Pro Gly Pro Leu Leu Phe Tyr Leu Cys Ser Glu Val Tyr Gln Gln 355 360 365 aca aat ccc aaa gat tcc cga agt ctg ggg aaa gac atc tgg aac att 1152 Thr Asn Pro Lys Asp Ser Arg Ser Leu Gly Lys Asp Ile Trp Asn Ile 370 375 380 ttc ctg gag aaa aat gcg cct ctc aga gtg aag atc cct gag atg ttg 1200 Phe Leu Glu Lys Asn Ala Pro Leu Arg Val Lys Ile Pro Glu Met Leu 385 390 395 400 cag gct gaa att gac cta cgc ctg cgg aac aat gag gac cct cgc aat 1248 Gln Ala Glu Ile Asp Leu Arg Leu Arg Asn Asn Glu Asp Pro Arg Asn 405 410 415 gtg ctc tgt gaa gct cag gag gca gtc atg ctg gaa atc cag gag cag 1296 Val Leu Cys Glu Ala Gln Glu Ala Val Met Leu Glu Ile Gln Glu Gln 420 425 430 atc aac gac tac aga tcc aag cgt act ctg ggc ctg ggc agc ctc tat 1344 Ile Asn Asp Tyr Arg Ser Lys Arg Thr Leu Gly Leu Gly Ser Leu Tyr 435 440 445 ggt gaa aat gac ctg cta ggc ctg gat ggg gac cct ctt cga gaa cgc 1392 Gly Glu Asn Asp Leu Leu Gly Leu Asp Gly Asp Pro Leu Arg Glu Arg 450 455 460 caa atg gct gag aag cag ctg gct gcc ctt gga gat atc ttg tcc aaa 1440 Gln Met Ala Glu Lys Gln Leu Ala Ala Leu Gly Asp Ile Leu Ser Lys 465 470 475 480 tat gag gaa gat cgg agt gcc ccc atg gac ttt gct gtt aat acc ttt 1488 Tyr Glu Glu Asp Arg Ser Ala Pro Met Asp Phe Ala Val Asn Thr Phe 485 490 495 atg agc cac gct ggg atc cgt ctt cgg gag tct cga tcc tcc tgc acg 1536 Met Ser His Ala Gly Ile Arg Leu Arg Glu Ser Arg Ser Ser Cys Thr 500 505 510 gca gaa aag acc cag tct gcc cct gac aag gac aag tgg ctg ccc ttc 1584 Ala Glu Lys Thr Gln Ser Ala Pro Asp Lys Asp Lys Trp Leu Pro Phe 515 520 525 ttc cct aag acc aag aag cag agc agc aat tcc aag aaa gaa aag gat 1632 Phe Pro Lys Thr Lys Lys Gln Ser Ser Asn Ser Lys Lys Glu Lys Asp 530 535 540 gcc ttg gag gac aag aag cga aac ccc atc ctc aga tat att ggg aag 1680 Ala Leu Glu Asp Lys Lys Arg Asn Pro Ile Leu Arg Tyr Ile Gly Lys 545 550 555 560 ccc aag agc tcc tct cag agc att aag cca ggc aat gtg agg aac atc 1728 Pro Lys Ser Ser Ser Gln Ser Ile Lys Pro Gly Asn Val Arg Asn Ile 565 570 575 att cag cac ttt gag aac agc cat cag tat gat gtc cca gag ccg ggg 1776 Ile Gln His Phe Glu Asn Ser His Gln Tyr Asp Val Pro Glu Pro Gly 580 585 590 aca caa cga ctc tca aca gga agc ttt cct gag gac ctg ctg gag agt 1824 Thr Gln Arg Leu Ser Thr Gly Ser Phe Pro Glu Asp Leu Leu Glu Ser 595 600 605 gac agt tcg cgc tca gag att cga ctg ggc cgc tct ggg agc ctc aag 1872 Asp Ser Ser Arg Ser Glu Ile Arg Leu Gly Arg Ser Gly Ser Leu Lys 610 615 620 ggc cgg gaa gag atg aag cga tcc cgg aaa gca gag aac gtg ccc cgg 1920 Gly Arg Glu Glu Met Lys Arg Ser Arg Lys Ala Glu Asn Val Pro Arg 625 630 635 640 cct cga agt gac gtt gac atg gat gct gct gca gag gct gcc cgc ctt 1968 Pro Arg Ser Asp Val Asp Met Asp Ala Ala Ala Glu Ala Ala Arg Leu 645 650 655 cac cag tca gcc tcg tcc tct gcc tcc agc ctc tcc acc agg tct ctt 2016 His Gln Ser Ala Ser Ser Ser Ala Ser Ser Leu Ser Thr Arg Ser Leu 660 665 670 gag aac cca acc cct ccc ttc acc ccc aaa atg ggc cgc agg agc att 2064 Glu Asn Pro Thr Pro Pro Phe Thr Pro Lys Met Gly Arg Arg Ser Ile 675 680 685 gag tcc ccc aat ctg ggg ttc tgt aca gac gtc atc ctt ccc cac ctc 2112 Glu Ser Pro Asn Leu Gly Phe Cys Thr Asp Val Ile Leu Pro His Leu 690 695 700 ctg gag gat gat ctg ggc caa ttg tct gac ctg gag cca gag cca gag 2160 Leu Glu Asp Asp Leu Gly Gln Leu Ser Asp Leu Glu Pro Glu Pro Glu 705 710 715 720 gtc caa aac tgg cag cat aca gta ggc aag gat gtg gtg gcc aac ctg 2208 Val Gln Asn Trp Gln His Thr Val Gly Lys Asp Val Val Ala Asn Leu 725 730 735 acc cag agg gaa att gac cgg caa gag gtc atc aat gag ctt ttt gtg 2256 Thr Gln Arg Glu Ile Asp Arg Gln Glu Val Ile Asn Glu Leu Phe Val 740 745 750 aca gaa gca tct cac ctg cgc aca ctc cga gtc ctg gac ctc atc ttc 2304 Thr Glu Ala Ser His Leu Arg Thr Leu Arg Val Leu Asp Leu Ile Phe 755 760 765 tac cag cgc atg aga aag gag aac cta atg cct cgg gaa gag cta gcg 2352 Tyr Gln Arg Met Arg Lys Glu Asn Leu Met Pro Arg Glu Glu Leu Ala 770 775 780 cgg ctc ttc cct aac ctg cct gag ctc ata gag att cac aat tcc tgg 2400 Arg Leu Phe Pro Asn Leu Pro Glu Leu Ile Glu Ile His Asn Ser Trp 785 790 795 800 tgt gag gcc atg aag aag ctc cgg gag gag ggc ccc att atc aga gac 2448 Cys Glu Ala Met Lys Lys Leu Arg Glu Glu Gly Pro Ile Ile Arg Asp 805 810 815 atc agt gac ccc atg ctg gct cgg ttt gat ggt cct gcc cga gaa gaa 2496 Ile Ser Asp Pro Met Leu Ala Arg Phe Asp Gly Pro Ala Arg Glu Glu 820 825 830 ctc cag caa gta gct gca caa ttc tgt tcc tat cag tca gta gcc cta 2544 Leu Gln Gln Val Ala Ala Gln Phe Cys Ser Tyr Gln Ser Val Ala Leu 835 840 845 gag cta atc agg act aag caa cgt aag gag agt cgg ttc cag ctc ttc 2592 Glu Leu Ile Arg Thr Lys Gln Arg Lys Glu Ser Arg Phe Gln Leu Phe 850 855 860 atg cag gag gct gag agc cac cct cag tgc cgg cgt ctg cag ctc cga 2640 Met Gln Glu Ala Glu Ser His Pro Gln Cys Arg Arg Leu Gln Leu Arg 865 870 875 880 gac ctc atc gtc tct gaa atg caa cgg ctc acc aag tac cca ctg ctg 2688 Asp Leu Ile Val Ser Glu Met Gln Arg Leu Thr Lys Tyr Pro Leu Leu 885 890 895 cta gag aac atc atc aag cac aca gag ggt ggc acc tct gag cat gag 2736 Leu Glu Asn Ile Ile Lys His Thr Glu Gly Gly Thr Ser Glu His Glu 900 905 910 aag ctc tgc cgt gcc cgg gac cag tgc cgg gag att ctc aag ttt gtg 2784 Lys Leu Cys Arg Ala Arg Asp Gln Cys Arg Glu Ile Leu Lys Phe Val 915 920 925 aat gaa gca gta aag cag aca gag aac cgc cac cgg cta gag ggg tac 2832 Asn Glu Ala Val Lys Gln Thr Glu Asn Arg His Arg Leu Glu Gly Tyr 930 935 940 cag aaa cgc ctg gat gcc act gcc cta gag cgg gcc agc aac ccc ttg 2880 Gln Lys Arg Leu Asp Ala Thr Ala Leu Glu Arg Ala Ser Asn Pro Leu 945 950 955 960 gca gca gag ttc aag agc ctg gat ctt aca aca agg aag atg atc cac 2928 Ala Ala Glu Phe Lys Ser Leu Asp Leu Thr Thr Arg Lys Met Ile His 965 970 975 gag ggg cct ctg acc tgg agg atc agc aaa gac aag acc ctg gac ctc 2976 Glu Gly Pro Leu Thr Trp Arg Ile Ser Lys Asp Lys Thr Leu Asp Leu 980 985 990 cag gtg ctt ctg ctt gag gac ctg gtg gta ctg ctg cag aga caa gag 3024 Gln Val Leu Leu Leu Glu Asp Leu Val Val Leu Leu Gln Arg Gln Glu 995 1000 1005 gag cgg ctg ctg cta aag tgc cac agc aag aca gcc gtg ggc tcc 3069 Glu Arg Leu Leu Leu Lys Cys His Ser Lys Thr Ala Val Gly Ser 1010 1015 1020 tcc gac agc aag cag acg ttc agc cct gtg ctg aag ctc aat gct 3114 Ser Asp Ser Lys Gln Thr Phe Ser Pro Val Leu Lys Leu Asn Ala 1025 1030 1035 gtg ctc atc cgc tcc gtg gct aca gac aag cga gcc ttc ttc atc 3159 Val Leu Ile Arg Ser Val Ala Thr Asp Lys Arg Ala Phe Phe Ile 1040 1045 1050 atc tgc acc tcc gag ctg ggc cct ccc cag atc tat gag ctg gtt 3204 Ile Cys Thr Ser Glu Leu Gly Pro Pro Gln Ile Tyr Glu Leu Val 1055 1060 1065 gca ttg acg tca tca gac aag aat ata tgg atg gag ctc tta gaa 3249 Ala Leu Thr Ser Ser Asp Lys Asn Ile Trp Met Glu Leu Leu Glu 1070 1075 1080 gag gcc gtg cag aat gcc acc aag cac cct gga gct gcc cca atc 3294 Glu Ala Val Gln Asn Ala Thr Lys His Pro Gly Ala Ala Pro Ile 1085 1090 1095 ccc atc cat ccc tca cca cca gga tcc cag gag ccg gcc tac cag 3339 Pro Ile His Pro Ser Pro Pro Gly Ser Gln Glu Pro Ala Tyr Gln 1100 1105 1110 ggc tcc acc tcc agc agg gta gaa ata aat gac tca gaa gta tat 3384 Gly Ser Thr Ser Ser Arg Val Glu Ile Asn Asp Ser Glu Val Tyr 1115 1120 1125 cac act gaa aaa gaa ccc aag aag cta cct gaa ggc ccc ggg cct 3429 His Thr Glu Lys Glu Pro Lys Lys Leu Pro Glu Gly Pro Gly Pro 1130 1135 1140 gag cag aga gtt caa gac aag cag ctg ata gca caa ggg gag cct 3474 Glu Gln Arg Val Gln Asp Lys Gln Leu Ile Ala Gln Gly Glu Pro 1145 1150 1155 gtg cag gaa gag gat gaa gag gaa ttg agg acc ttg cct cga gct 3519 Val Gln Glu Glu Asp Glu Glu Glu Leu Arg Thr Leu Pro Arg Ala 1160 1165 1170 ccc ccc tcc ctg gat gga gaa aac aga ggc atc agg aca agg gac 3564 Pro Pro Ser Leu Asp Gly Glu Asn Arg Gly Ile Arg Thr Arg Asp 1175 1180 1185 cct gtc ctt ctg gcc ctc aca ggc cct ctg ctc atg gag gga ctt 3609 Pro Val Leu Leu Ala Leu Thr Gly Pro Leu Leu Met Glu Gly Leu 1190 1195 1200 gct gat gct gcc ctg gaa gat gtg gag aac ttg cgt cac ctg atc 3654 Ala Asp Ala Ala Leu Glu Asp Val Glu Asn Leu Arg His Leu Ile 1205 1210 1215 ctg tgg agc ctg ctg cct ggt cac act gtg aag act cag gct gct 3699 Leu Trp Ser Leu Leu Pro Gly His Thr Val Lys Thr Gln Ala Ala 1220 1225 1230 ggc gag cct gag gat gac ctc aca ccc acc cct tct gtc gtg agc 3744 Gly Glu Pro Glu Asp Asp Leu Thr Pro Thr Pro Ser Val Val Ser 1235 1240 1245 atc acc tct cac ccc tgg gac cca ggg tcc cca ggg caa gct ccc 3789 Ile Thr Ser His Pro Trp Asp Pro Gly Ser Pro Gly Gln Ala Pro 1250 1255 1260 acc ata agt gac agc acc cga ctt gcg agg cca gag ggc agc cag 3834 Thr Ile Ser Asp Ser Thr Arg Leu Ala Arg Pro Glu Gly Ser Gln 1265 1270 1275 cca gag ggc gag gat gtt gct gtc agt tct ctg gca cac ctg ccg 3879 Pro Glu Gly Glu Asp Val Ala Val Ser Ser Leu Ala His Leu Pro 1280 1285 1290 cca agg acc aga agt tct ggc gtc tgg gac tct cct gag ctg gat 3924 Pro Arg Thr Arg Ser Ser Gly Val Trp Asp Ser Pro Glu Leu Asp 1295 1300 1305 agg aat ccg gct gca gag gct gca agc aca gaa cca gca gca agt 3969 Arg Asn Pro Ala Ala Glu Ala Ala Ser Thr Glu Pro Ala Ala Ser 1310 1315 1320 tac aag gtt gtg aga aaa gtc tct cta ctc cct ggt ggt ggt gtc 4014 Tyr Lys Val Val Arg Lys Val Ser Leu Leu Pro Gly Gly Gly Val 1325 1330 1335 ggt gca gcc aag gtg gcg ggc agc aat gct atc cct gac agt ggc 4059 Gly Ala Ala Lys Val Ala Gly Ser Asn Ala Ile Pro Asp Ser Gly 1340 1345 1350 cag tca gaa tct gag cta tct gaa gtg gaa ggc gga gca cag gct 4104 Gln Ser Glu Ser Glu Leu Ser Glu Val Glu Gly Gly Ala Gln Ala 1355 1360 1365 acg ggg aac tgt ttc tat gtc agc atg cca gca gga cct ctg gac 4149 Thr Gly Asn Cys Phe Tyr Val Ser Met Pro Ala Gly Pro Leu Asp 1370 1375 1380 tcc agc act gag cct act ggg aca ccc cca agc ccc tca cag tgt 4194 Ser Ser Thr Glu Pro Thr Gly Thr Pro Pro Ser Pro Ser Gln Cys 1385 1390 1395 cac agc ctc cct gca tgg cca aca gag cct cag ccc tac agg gga 4239 His Ser Leu Pro Ala Trp Pro Thr Glu Pro Gln Pro Tyr Arg Gly 1400 1405 1410 gtc cgt ggg ggt cag tgt tcc agc ctg gtc cgc agg gat gtg gat 4284 Val Arg Gly Gly Gln Cys Ser Ser Leu Val Arg Arg Asp Val Asp 1415 1420 1425 gtg atc ttc cat acc atc gag cag ctc acc atc aag ctt cac aga 4329 Val Ile Phe His Thr Ile Glu Gln Leu Thr Ile Lys Leu His Arg 1430 1435 1440 ctg aag gac atg gag ctg gcc cac aga gag ctg ctc aag tcc ctt 4374 Leu Lys Asp Met Glu Leu Ala His Arg Glu Leu Leu Lys Ser Leu 1445 1450 1455 gga gga gag tca tcg ggt gga acc aca cct gtg ggg agt ttt cac 4419 Gly Gly Glu Ser Ser Gly Gly Thr Thr Pro Val Gly Ser Phe His 1460 1465 1470 aca gag gca gcc aga tgg aca gac tac tcc ctc tct cct cca gcc 4464 Thr Glu Ala Ala Arg Trp Thr Asp Tyr Ser Leu Ser Pro Pro Ala 1475 1480 1485 aag gaa gcc ctg gcc tct gat tcc caa aat ggt cag gag cag ggg 4509 Lys Glu Ala Leu Ala Ser Asp Ser Gln Asn Gly Gln Glu Gln Gly 1490 1495 1500 tcc tgc cct gaa gaa ggc tcc gac atc gcc ctg gaa gac agt gcc 4554 Ser Cys Pro Glu Glu Gly Ser Asp Ile Ala Leu Glu Asp Ser Ala 1505 1510 1515 act gac aca gct gtg tca cca gga cca tag 4584 Thr Asp Thr Ala Val Ser Pro Gly Pro 1520 1525 <210> SEQ ID NO 4 <211> LENGTH: 1527 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Rattus <400> SEQUENCE: 4 Met Ser Ile Arg Leu Pro His Ser Ile Asp Arg Ser Ala Ser Lys Lys 1 5 10 15 Gln Ser His Leu Ser Ser Pro Ile Ala Ser Trp Leu Ser Ser Leu Ser 20 25 30 Ser Leu Gly Asp Ser Thr Pro Glu Arg Thr Ser Pro Ser His His Arg 35 40 45 Gln Pro Ser Asp Thr Ser Glu Thr Thr Ala Gly Leu Val Gln Arg Cys 50 55 60 Val Ile Ile Gln Lys Asp Gln His Gly Phe Gly Phe Thr Val Ser Gly 65 70 75 80 Asp Arg Ile Val Leu Val Gln Ser Val Arg Pro Gly Gly Ala Ala Met 85 90 95 Lys Ala Gly Val Lys Glu Gly Asp Arg Ile Ile Lys Val Asn Gly Thr 100 105 110 Met Val Thr Asn Ser Ser His Leu Glu Val Val Lys Leu Ile Lys Ser 115 120 125 Gly Ala Tyr Ala Ala Leu Thr Leu Leu Gly Ser Ser Pro Pro Ser Val 130 135 140 Gly Val Ser Gly Leu Gln Gln Asn Pro Ser Val Ala Gly Val Leu Arg 145 150 155 160 Val Asn Pro Ile Ile Pro Pro Pro Pro Pro Pro Pro Pro Leu Pro Pro 165 170 175 Pro Gln His Ile Thr Gly Pro Lys Pro Leu Gln Asp Pro Glu Val Gln 180 185 190 Lys His Ala Thr Gln Ile Leu Trp Asn Met Leu Arg Gln Glu Glu Glu 195 200 205 Glu Leu Gln Asp Ile Leu Pro Pro Cys Gly Glu Thr Ser Gln Arg Thr 210 215 220 Cys Glu Gly Arg Leu Ser Val Asp Ser Gln Glu Ala Asp Ser Gly Leu 225 230 235 240 Asp Ser Gly Thr Glu Arg Phe Pro Ser Ile Ser Glu Ser Leu Met Asn 245 250 255 Arg Asn Ser Val Leu Ser Asp Pro Gly Leu Asp Ser Pro Gln Thr Ser 260 265 270 Pro Val Ile Leu Ala Arg Val Ala Gln His His Arg Arg Gln Gly Ser 275 280 285 Asp Ala Ala Leu Leu Pro Leu Asn His Gln Gly Ile Asp Gln Ser Pro 290 295 300 Lys Pro Leu Ile Ile Gly Pro Glu Glu Asp Tyr Asp Pro Gly Tyr Phe 305 310 315 320 Asn Asn Glu Ser Asp Ile Ile Phe Gln Asp Leu Glu Lys Leu Lys Ser 325 330 335 His Pro Ala Tyr Leu Val Val Phe Leu Arg Tyr Ile Leu Ser Gln Ala 340 345 350 Asp Pro Gly Pro Leu Leu Phe Tyr Leu Cys Ser Glu Val Tyr Gln Gln 355 360 365 Thr Asn Pro Lys Asp Ser Arg Ser Leu Gly Lys Asp Ile Trp Asn Ile 370 375 380 Phe Leu Glu Lys Asn Ala Pro Leu Arg Val Lys Ile Pro Glu Met Leu 385 390 395 400 Gln Ala Glu Ile Asp Leu Arg Leu Arg Asn Asn Glu Asp Pro Arg Asn 405 410 415 Val Leu Cys Glu Ala Gln Glu Ala Val Met Leu Glu Ile Gln Glu Gln 420 425 430 Ile Asn Asp Tyr Arg Ser Lys Arg Thr Leu Gly Leu Gly Ser Leu Tyr 435 440 445 Gly Glu Asn Asp Leu Leu Gly Leu Asp Gly Asp Pro Leu Arg Glu Arg 450 455 460 Gln Met Ala Glu Lys Gln Leu Ala Ala Leu Gly Asp Ile Leu Ser Lys 465 470 475 480 Tyr Glu Glu Asp Arg Ser Ala Pro Met Asp Phe Ala Val Asn Thr Phe 485 490 495 Met Ser His Ala Gly Ile Arg Leu Arg Glu Ser Arg Ser Ser Cys Thr 500 505 510 Ala Glu Lys Thr Gln Ser Ala Pro Asp Lys Asp Lys Trp Leu Pro Phe 515 520 525 Phe Pro Lys Thr Lys Lys Gln Ser Ser Asn Ser Lys Lys Glu Lys Asp 530 535 540 Ala Leu Glu Asp Lys Lys Arg Asn Pro Ile Leu Arg Tyr Ile Gly Lys 545 550 555 560 Pro Lys Ser Ser Ser Gln Ser Ile Lys Pro Gly Asn Val Arg Asn Ile 565 570 575 Ile Gln His Phe Glu Asn Ser His Gln Tyr Asp Val Pro Glu Pro Gly 580 585 590 Thr Gln Arg Leu Ser Thr Gly Ser Phe Pro Glu Asp Leu Leu Glu Ser 595 600 605 Asp Ser Ser Arg Ser Glu Ile Arg Leu Gly Arg Ser Gly Ser Leu Lys 610 615 620 Gly Arg Glu Glu Met Lys Arg Ser Arg Lys Ala Glu Asn Val Pro Arg 625 630 635 640 Pro Arg Ser Asp Val Asp Met Asp Ala Ala Ala Glu Ala Ala Arg Leu 645 650 655 His Gln Ser Ala Ser Ser Ser Ala Ser Ser Leu Ser Thr Arg Ser Leu 660 665 670 Glu Asn Pro Thr Pro Pro Phe Thr Pro Lys Met Gly Arg Arg Ser Ile 675 680 685 Glu Ser Pro Asn Leu Gly Phe Cys Thr Asp Val Ile Leu Pro His Leu 690 695 700 Leu Glu Asp Asp Leu Gly Gln Leu Ser Asp Leu Glu Pro Glu Pro Glu 705 710 715 720 Val Gln Asn Trp Gln His Thr Val Gly Lys Asp Val Val Ala Asn Leu 725 730 735 Thr Gln Arg Glu Ile Asp Arg Gln Glu Val Ile Asn Glu Leu Phe Val 740 745 750 Thr Glu Ala Ser His Leu Arg Thr Leu Arg Val Leu Asp Leu Ile Phe 755 760 765 Tyr Gln Arg Met Arg Lys Glu Asn Leu Met Pro Arg Glu Glu Leu Ala 770 775 780 Arg Leu Phe Pro Asn Leu Pro Glu Leu Ile Glu Ile His Asn Ser Trp 785 790 795 800 Cys Glu Ala Met Lys Lys Leu Arg Glu Glu Gly Pro Ile Ile Arg Asp 805 810 815 Ile Ser Asp Pro Met Leu Ala Arg Phe Asp Gly Pro Ala Arg Glu Glu 820 825 830 Leu Gln Gln Val Ala Ala Gln Phe Cys Ser Tyr Gln Ser Val Ala Leu 835 840 845 Glu Leu Ile Arg Thr Lys Gln Arg Lys Glu Ser Arg Phe Gln Leu Phe 850 855 860 Met Gln Glu Ala Glu Ser His Pro Gln Cys Arg Arg Leu Gln Leu Arg 865 870 875 880 Asp Leu Ile Val Ser Glu Met Gln Arg Leu Thr Lys Tyr Pro Leu Leu 885 890 895 Leu Glu Asn Ile Ile Lys His Thr Glu Gly Gly Thr Ser Glu His Glu 900 905 910 Lys Leu Cys Arg Ala Arg Asp Gln Cys Arg Glu Ile Leu Lys Phe Val 915 920 925 Asn Glu Ala Val Lys Gln Thr Glu Asn Arg His Arg Leu Glu Gly Tyr 930 935 940 Gln Lys Arg Leu Asp Ala Thr Ala Leu Glu Arg Ala Ser Asn Pro Leu 945 950 955 960 Ala Ala Glu Phe Lys Ser Leu Asp Leu Thr Thr Arg Lys Met Ile His 965 970 975 Glu Gly Pro Leu Thr Trp Arg Ile Ser Lys Asp Lys Thr Leu Asp Leu 980 985 990 Gln Val Leu Leu Leu Glu Asp Leu Val Val Leu Leu Gln Arg Gln Glu 995 1000 1005 Glu Arg Leu Leu Leu Lys Cys His Ser Lys Thr Ala Val Gly Ser 1010 1015 1020 Ser Asp Ser Lys Gln Thr Phe Ser Pro Val Leu Lys Leu Asn Ala 1025 1030 1035 Val Leu Ile Arg Ser Val Ala Thr Asp Lys Arg Ala Phe Phe Ile 1040 1045 1050 Ile Cys Thr Ser Glu Leu Gly Pro Pro Gln Ile Tyr Glu Leu Val 1055 1060 1065 Ala Leu Thr Ser Ser Asp Lys Asn Ile Trp Met Glu Leu Leu Glu 1070 1075 1080 Glu Ala Val Gln Asn Ala Thr Lys His Pro Gly Ala Ala Pro Ile 1085 1090 1095 Pro Ile His Pro Ser Pro Pro Gly Ser Gln Glu Pro Ala Tyr Gln 1100 1105 1110 Gly Ser Thr Ser Ser Arg Val Glu Ile Asn Asp Ser Glu Val Tyr 1115 1120 1125 His Thr Glu Lys Glu Pro Lys Lys Leu Pro Glu Gly Pro Gly Pro 1130 1135 1140 Glu Gln Arg Val Gln Asp Lys Gln Leu Ile Ala Gln Gly Glu Pro 1145 1150 1155 Val Gln Glu Glu Asp Glu Glu Glu Leu Arg Thr Leu Pro Arg Ala 1160 1165 1170 Pro Pro Ser Leu Asp Gly Glu Asn Arg Gly Ile Arg Thr Arg Asp 1175 1180 1185 Pro Val Leu Leu Ala Leu Thr Gly Pro Leu Leu Met Glu Gly Leu 1190 1195 1200 Ala Asp Ala Ala Leu Glu Asp Val Glu Asn Leu Arg His Leu Ile 1205 1210 1215 Leu Trp Ser Leu Leu Pro Gly His Thr Val Lys Thr Gln Ala Ala 1220 1225 1230 Gly Glu Pro Glu Asp Asp Leu Thr Pro Thr Pro Ser Val Val Ser 1235 1240 1245 Ile Thr Ser His Pro Trp Asp Pro Gly Ser Pro Gly Gln Ala Pro 1250 1255 1260 Thr Ile Ser Asp Ser Thr Arg Leu Ala Arg Pro Glu Gly Ser Gln 1265 1270 1275 Pro Glu Gly Glu Asp Val Ala Val Ser Ser Leu Ala His Leu Pro 1280 1285 1290 Pro Arg Thr Arg Ser Ser Gly Val Trp Asp Ser Pro Glu Leu Asp 1295 1300 1305 Arg Asn Pro Ala Ala Glu Ala Ala Ser Thr Glu Pro Ala Ala Ser 1310 1315 1320 Tyr Lys Val Val Arg Lys Val Ser Leu Leu Pro Gly Gly Gly Val 1325 1330 1335 Gly Ala Ala Lys Val Ala Gly Ser Asn Ala Ile Pro Asp Ser Gly 1340 1345 1350 Gln Ser Glu Ser Glu Leu Ser Glu Val Glu Gly Gly Ala Gln Ala 1355 1360 1365 Thr Gly Asn Cys Phe Tyr Val Ser Met Pro Ala Gly Pro Leu Asp 1370 1375 1380 Ser Ser Thr Glu Pro Thr Gly Thr Pro Pro Ser Pro Ser Gln Cys 1385 1390 1395 His Ser Leu Pro Ala Trp Pro Thr Glu Pro Gln Pro Tyr Arg Gly 1400 1405 1410 Val Arg Gly Gly Gln Cys Ser Ser Leu Val Arg Arg Asp Val Asp 1415 1420 1425 Val Ile Phe His Thr Ile Glu Gln Leu Thr Ile Lys Leu His Arg 1430 1435 1440 Leu Lys Asp Met Glu Leu Ala His Arg Glu Leu Leu Lys Ser Leu 1445 1450 1455 Gly Gly Glu Ser Ser Gly Gly Thr Thr Pro Val Gly Ser Phe His 1460 1465 1470 Thr Glu Ala Ala Arg Trp Thr Asp Tyr Ser Leu Ser Pro Pro Ala 1475 1480 1485 Lys Glu Ala Leu Ala Ser Asp Ser Gln Asn Gly Gln Glu Gln Gly 1490 1495 1500 Ser Cys Pro Glu Glu Gly Ser Asp Ile Ala Leu Glu Asp Ser Ala 1505 1510 1515 Thr Asp Thr Ala Val Ser Pro Gly Pro 1520 1525 <210> SEQ ID NO 5 <211> LENGTH: 567 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Rattus <220> FEATURE: <221> NAME/KEY: CDS <222> LOCATION: (1)..(564) <400> SEQUENCE: 5 atg gac gtg aac ctt gcc ccg ctc cgt gcc tgg gat gat ttc ttc ccg 48 Met Asp Val Asn Leu Ala Pro Leu Arg Ala Trp Asp Asp Phe Phe Pro 1 5 10 15 ggc tct gat cgt ttc gca cgg ccg gac ttc agg gat ata tcc aaa tgg 96 Gly Ser Asp Arg Phe Ala Arg Pro Asp Phe Arg Asp Ile Ser Lys Trp 20 25 30 aac aac cgt gta gtg agc aat ctg ctc tat tac cag acc aac tac ctg 144 Asn Asn Arg Val Val Ser Asn Leu Leu Tyr Tyr Gln Thr Asn Tyr Leu 35 40 45 gtg gtg gct gcc atg atg att tca gtc gtt ggg ttt ctg agc ccc ttc 192 Val Val Ala Ala Met Met Ile Ser Val Val Gly Phe Leu Ser Pro Phe 50 55 60 aac atg atc ctt gga gga atc att gtg gtg ctg gtg ttc acg ggg ttt 240 Asn Met Ile Leu Gly Gly Ile Ile Val Val Leu Val Phe Thr Gly Phe 65 70 75 80 gtg tgg gca gca cac aat aaa gac atc ctc cgc cgg atg aag aag cag 288 Val Trp Ala Ala His Asn Lys Asp Ile Leu Arg Arg Met Lys Lys Gln 85 90 95 tac cca acg gcc ttt gtc atg gtg gtc atg cta gcc agc tac ttc ctc 336 Tyr Pro Thr Ala Phe Val Met Val Val Met Leu Ala Ser Tyr Phe Leu 100 105 110 ata tcc atg ttt ggg ggt gtc atg gtc ttt gtg ttt ggc atc acg ttt 384 Ile Ser Met Phe Gly Gly Val Met Val Phe Val Phe Gly Ile Thr Phe 115 120 125 ccc tta ttg ttg atg ttc atc cat gca tcc ctg aga ctt cga aac ctc 432 Pro Leu Leu Leu Met Phe Ile His Ala Ser Leu Arg Leu Arg Asn Leu 130 135 140 aag aac aaa ctg gaa aat aaa atg gag gga ata ggc ttg aag aaa acg 480 Lys Asn Lys Leu Glu Asn Lys Met Glu Gly Ile Gly Leu Lys Lys Thr 145 150 155 160 ccg atg ggc atc atc ctg gat gcc ttg gaa cag cag gaa gac agc atc 528 Pro Met Gly Ile Ile Leu Asp Ala Leu Glu Gln Gln Glu Asp Ser Ile 165 170 175 aat aaa ttt gct gac tac atc agc aaa gcc agg gag taa 567 Asn Lys Phe Ala Asp Tyr Ile Ser Lys Ala Arg Glu 180 185 <210> SEQ ID NO 6 <211> LENGTH: 188 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Rattus <400> SEQUENCE: 6 Met Asp Val Asn Leu Ala Pro Leu Arg Ala Trp Asp Asp Phe Phe Pro 1 5 10 15 Gly Ser Asp Arg Phe Ala Arg Pro Asp Phe Arg Asp Ile Ser Lys Trp 20 25 30 Asn Asn Arg Val Val Ser Asn Leu Leu Tyr Tyr Gln Thr Asn Tyr Leu 35 40 45 Val Val Ala Ala Met Met Ile Ser Val Val Gly Phe Leu Ser Pro Phe 50 55 60 Asn Met Ile Leu Gly Gly Ile Ile Val Val Leu Val Phe Thr Gly Phe 65 70 75 80 Val Trp Ala Ala His Asn Lys Asp Ile Leu Arg Arg Met Lys Lys Gln 85 90 95 Tyr Pro Thr Ala Phe Val Met Val Val Met Leu Ala Ser Tyr Phe Leu 100 105 110 Ile Ser Met Phe Gly Gly Val Met Val Phe Val Phe Gly Ile Thr Phe 115 120 125 Pro Leu Leu Leu Met Phe Ile His Ala Ser Leu Arg Leu Arg Asn Leu 130 135 140 Lys Asn Lys Leu Glu Asn Lys Met Glu Gly Ile Gly Leu Lys Lys Thr 145 150 155 160 Pro Met Gly Ile Ile Leu Asp Ala Leu Glu Gln Gln Glu Asp Ser Ile 165 170 175 Asn Lys Phe Ala Asp Tyr Ile Ser Lys Ala Arg Glu 180 185 <210> SEQ ID NO 7 <211> LENGTH: 3111 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Rattus norvegicus <220> FEATURE: <221> NAME/KEY: CDS <222> LOCATION: (251)..(452) <221> NAME/KEY: CDS <222> LOCATION: (584)..(1869) <221> NAME/KEY: exon <222> LOCATION: (251)..(452) <221> NAME/KEY: Intron <222> LOCATION: (252)..(451) <221> NAME/KEY: exon <222> LOCATION: (584)..(1869) <400> SEQUENCE: 7 gttggccacc atggggatgt accaagtgag actgtaggga aagaaggtgg tgactcgcgt 60 gcctggctac tggctgctgc tcacctcgat gctacaagat tcctagcaag atcaaaactg 120 accattaacc tacctctaca tccccctggc gccgttccag ggccaacgcc acattccctg 180 ctgggcacgc aatggccgca ccccctcccg ctacagaagg ctcttttggt acacgcagtc 240 cgaggtcgcc atg gat cgg atg aag aag atc aaa cgg cag ctg tca atg 289 Met Asp Arg Met Lys Lys Ile Lys Arg Gln Leu Ser Met 1 5 10 aca ctc cga ggg ggc cga ggc ata gac aag acc aat ggt gtc cct gag 337 Thr Leu Arg Gly Gly Arg Gly Ile Asp Lys Thr Asn Gly Val Pro Glu 15 20 25 cag ata ggc cta gat gag agt ggt ggt ggt ggt ggc atg acc ctt gga 385 Gln Ile Gly Leu Asp Glu Ser Gly Gly Gly Gly Gly Met Thr Leu Gly 30 35 40 45 gaa gct ccc acc cgt gtt gcc cct ggg gaa ctt cgc tct att cgg ggc 433 Glu Ala Pro Thr Arg Val Ala Pro Gly Glu Leu Arg Ser Ile Arg Gly 50 55 60 cca ctc agc tct gca cca g gtctacctgg gtttcccagt ctgctctagg 482 Pro Leu Ser Ser Ala Pro 65 ggccatgtac acaaatggat acgatgaaga aatatattat attgggggaa agagagtgtt 542 cttgactcca aaggcctggc ctttccctca ctctgcacca g ag att gtg cat gaa 597 Glu Ile Val His Glu 70 gac atg aag atg gga tct gat ggg gag agt gac cag gct tca gcc aca 645 Asp Met Lys Met Gly Ser Asp Gly Glu Ser Asp Gln Ala Ser Ala Thr 75 80 85 tcc tca gat gag gtg cag tct cca gtg aga gtg cgc atg cgc aac cac 693 Ser Ser Asp Glu Val Gln Ser Pro Val Arg Val Arg Met Arg Asn His 90 95 100 ccc cca cgc aag atc tcc act gag gat atc aac aaa tgc ctg tca cta 741 Pro Pro Arg Lys Ile Ser Thr Glu Asp Ile Asn Lys Cys Leu Ser Leu 105 110 115 120 cca gct gac ata cgg ctg cct gag ggc tac ctt gag aag ctg acc ctc 789 Pro Ala Asp Ile Arg Leu Pro Glu Gly Tyr Leu Glu Lys Leu Thr Leu 125 130 135 aat agc ccc atc ggt gat aag cct ctt agc cgg cgc ctc cgg cca gtc 837 Asn Ser Pro Ile Gly Asp Lys Pro Leu Ser Arg Arg Leu Arg Pro Val 140 145 150 agc ttg tct gag att ggc ttt gga aaa ctg gag acc tac atc aaa cta 885 Ser Leu Ser Glu Ile Gly Phe Gly Lys Leu Glu Thr Tyr Ile Lys Leu 155 160 165 gac aag ctg ggt gag ggt acc tat gcc act gtc tac aaa ggc aaa agc 933 Asp Lys Leu Gly Glu Gly Thr Tyr Ala Thr Val Tyr Lys Gly Lys Ser 170 175 180 aag ctc aca gac aac ctt gta gca ctt aag gag atc aga ctg gaa cac 981 Lys Leu Thr Asp Asn Leu Val Ala Leu Lys Glu Ile Arg Leu Glu His 185 190 195 200 gaa gaa ggg gca ccc tgc act gct atc cgg gaa gta tcc ctg ctt aag 1029 Glu Glu Gly Ala Pro Cys Thr Ala Ile Arg Glu Val Ser Leu Leu Lys 205 210 215 gac ctc aag cat gcc aac atc gtc aca cta cat gac att atc cac aca 1077 Asp Leu Lys His Ala Asn Ile Val Thr Leu His Asp Ile Ile His Thr 220 225 230 gag aag tcc ctc acc ctt gtc ttt gaa tac ttg gac aag gac ctg aag 1125 Glu Lys Ser Leu Thr Leu Val Phe Glu Tyr Leu Asp Lys Asp Leu Lys 235 240 245 cag tac ctg gat gac tgt gga aat gtc atc aac atg cac aat gtg aaa 1173 Gln Tyr Leu Asp Asp Cys Gly Asn Val Ile Asn Met His Asn Val Lys 250 255 260 ctg ttc ctg ttc cag ttg ctc cgt ggc ctg gcc tac tgc cac agg cag 1221 Leu Phe Leu Phe Gln Leu Leu Arg Gly Leu Ala Tyr Cys His Arg Gln 265 270 275 280 aag gtg cta cac cga gac ctc aag ccc cag aac cta ctc atc aac gag 1269 Lys Val Leu His Arg Asp Leu Lys Pro Gln Asn Leu Leu Ile Asn Glu 285 290 295 agg gga gag ctc aaa ctg gca gac ttt ggc ctg gct tac gcc aag tca 1317 Arg Gly Glu Leu Lys Leu Ala Asp Phe Gly Leu Ala Tyr Ala Lys Ser 300 305 310 att cct act aaa aca tac tcc aac gaa gtg gtg aca ctg tgg tac cgg 1365 Ile Pro Thr Lys Thr Tyr Ser Asn Glu Val Val Thr Leu Trp Tyr Arg 315 320 325 ccc cct gac atc tta ctt ggg tcc aca gac tac tcc ggc caa att gac 1413 Pro Pro Asp Ile Leu Leu Gly Ser Thr Asp Tyr Ser Gly Gln Ile Asp 330 335 340 atg tgg ggt gtt ggc tgc atc ttt tat gag atg gcc aca ggc cgg ccc 1461 Met Trp Gly Val Gly Cys Ile Phe Tyr Glu Met Ala Thr Gly Arg Pro 345 350 355 360 ctc ttc cca ggc tcc aca gtg gaa gaa cag ctg cac ttc atc ttc cgc 1509 Leu Phe Pro Gly Ser Thr Val Glu Glu Gln Leu His Phe Ile Phe Arg 365 370 375 att ttg gga acc cca act gag gac aca tgg cca ggt atc ctg tcc aat 1557 Ile Leu Gly Thr Pro Thr Glu Asp Thr Trp Pro Gly Ile Leu Ser Asn 380 385 390 gaa gag ttt aga aca tac aac tac ccc aag tac cga gcc gag gcc ctt 1605 Glu Glu Phe Arg Thr Tyr Asn Tyr Pro Lys Tyr Arg Ala Glu Ala Leu 395 400 405 ctg agg cat gca ccc cga ctt gaa tgc gat gga gct gac ctc ctc acc 1653 Leu Arg His Ala Pro Arg Leu Glu Cys Asp Gly Ala Asp Leu Leu Thr 410 415 420 aag ctg ctg cag ttt gag ggt cgc aat cgg atc tct gct gag gat gcc 1701 Lys Leu Leu Gln Phe Glu Gly Arg Asn Arg Ile Ser Ala Glu Asp Ala 425 430 435 440 atg aaa cat cca ttc ttt ctc agc ttg ggg gag cgg atc cac aaa ctt 1749 Met Lys His Pro Phe Phe Leu Ser Leu Gly Glu Arg Ile His Lys Leu 445 450 455 cct gac act act tcc ata ttt gca cta aag gag gta cag cta caa aag 1797 Pro Asp Thr Thr Ser Ile Phe Ala Leu Lys Glu Val Gln Leu Gln Lys 460 465 470 gag gcc aac att cgg tcc act tct atg cct gac tca ggc agg cca gct 1845 Glu Ala Asn Ile Arg Ser Thr Ser Met Pro Asp Ser Gly Arg Pro Ala 475 480 485 ttc cgt gtg gtg gat acc gag ttc taagccaagt tttaagccac agacagacca 1899 Phe Arg Val Val Asp Thr Glu Phe 490 495 aggccccagc aggcagcggc tggagggatg ccacacccct cacaggacag cccccatctg 1959 caatcctccc tgcttgttgc ctgcttacct gcctgagcca cactcccctg ccaacttgtc 2019 ccctgccacc tgtccaaaca ccgaactact ggcctggcct gtcaacccaa ccactggcct 2079 gtctgctggg tgctaacaaa gctctcacca ctactttgct tgatgtgtct gtctctgtct 2139 tggtagatgc tggtggaccg aatggccgtg ccagctttcc acactaaggc taggccttcc 2199 cctcttcatc acactctctc ccaggaccac taccccatgg ccagccaggg gtttggagct 2259 agcccaggcc aggctcttaa tcgactttga ctagaaggta gtgagtgatg ccttgggtct 2319 gagcatcatt tgcctgcttc ccacctgtcc cacttgcctc tgttgtatgg gctttttttt 2379 agtttctttt attgtttttt tattatttta aatgaggttc tcacttttta atgcaatatc 2439 tctgtataca gactggttgg gcactactcc ctgagtgtgg cactcccaca gtattttgtg 2499 caatgaagtc ccactcccac cctttgagag gtagggaccc agaccctatt cagatcctca 2559 ccatcactag accctggaat tggctatggg aaagcatgcc tcagccactc accttcctcc 2619 cctacctagc gttcccagct atagggggac ctgagaacta ccagagagtg ggagatggac 2679 atggtggggc ctactttttc cctccttcag tcccgtagcc agggcctcct tccttctcag 2739 ggtcttcccc agcccagctc tgcctagccc tcctgccctg tcctactcgg tgctgttgag 2799 taggggctct gcctggaatc gagcagctta gtgaggagcc atatataata tgtgcacaag 2859 caggaggaca tgtgggagct tgtgcccaat tgttacaccc caatccctag gagggtcagg 2919 caggccaagg acagtctcct ggatggatgg tttgctcccc ttactccacc ttaagccttg 2979 ggacccttaa gcagggtggg agggcaaggg agggtgccct cctagtgggg tttgggggga 3039 ttgggttcct gaatgcacca taatcgctgt atgaaatatt aaaaaaaagt ctaaagtgaa 3099 aaaaaaaaaa aa 3111 <210> SEQ ID NO 8 <211> LENGTH: 496 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Rattus norvegicus <400> SEQUENCE: 8 Met Asp Arg Met Lys Lys Ile Lys Arg Gln Leu Ser Met Thr Leu Arg 1 5 10 15 Gly Gly Arg Gly Ile Asp Lys Thr Asn Gly Val Pro Glu Gln Ile Gly 20 25 30 Leu Asp Glu Ser Gly Gly Gly Gly Gly Met Thr Leu Gly Glu Ala Pro 35 40 45 Thr Arg Val Ala Pro Gly Glu Leu Arg Ser Ile Arg Gly Pro Leu Ser 50 55 60 Ser Ala Pro Glu Ile Val His Glu Asp Met Lys Met Gly Ser Asp Gly 65 70 75 80 Glu Ser Asp Gln Ala Ser Ala Thr Ser Ser Asp Glu Val Gln Ser Pro 85 90 95 Val Arg Val Arg Met Arg Asn His Pro Pro Arg Lys Ile Ser Thr Glu 100 105 110 Asp Ile Asn Lys Cys Leu Ser Leu Pro Ala Asp Ile Arg Leu Pro Glu 115 120 125 Gly Tyr Leu Glu Lys Leu Thr Leu Asn Ser Pro Ile Gly Asp Lys Pro 130 135 140 Leu Ser Arg Arg Leu Arg Pro Val Ser Leu Ser Glu Ile Gly Phe Gly 145 150 155 160 Lys Leu Glu Thr Tyr Ile Lys Leu Asp Lys Leu Gly Glu Gly Thr Tyr 165 170 175 Ala Thr Val Tyr Lys Gly Lys Ser Lys Leu Thr Asp Asn Leu Val Ala 180 185 190 Leu Lys Glu Ile Arg Leu Glu His Glu Glu Gly Ala Pro Cys Thr Ala 195 200 205 Ile Arg Glu Val Ser Leu Leu Lys Asp Leu Lys His Ala Asn Ile Val 210 215 220 Thr Leu His Asp Ile Ile His Thr Glu Lys Ser Leu Thr Leu Val Phe 225 230 235 240 Glu Tyr Leu Asp Lys Asp Leu Lys Gln Tyr Leu Asp Asp Cys Gly Asn 245 250 255 Val Ile Asn Met His Asn Val Lys Leu Phe Leu Phe Gln Leu Leu Arg 260 265 270 Gly Leu Ala Tyr Cys His Arg Gln Lys Val Leu His Arg Asp Leu Lys 275 280 285 Pro Gln Asn Leu Leu Ile Asn Glu Arg Gly Glu Leu Lys Leu Ala Asp 290 295 300 Phe Gly Leu Ala Tyr Ala Lys Ser Ile Pro Thr Lys Thr Tyr Ser Asn 305 310 315 320 Glu Val Val Thr Leu Trp Tyr Arg Pro Pro Asp Ile Leu Leu Gly Ser 325 330 335 Thr Asp Tyr Ser Gly Gln Ile Asp Met Trp Gly Val Gly Cys Ile Phe 340 345 350 Tyr Glu Met Ala Thr Gly Arg Pro Leu Phe Pro Gly Ser Thr Val Glu 355 360 365 Glu Gln Leu His Phe Ile Phe Arg Ile Leu Gly Thr Pro Thr Glu Asp 370 375 380 Thr Trp Pro Gly Ile Leu Ser Asn Glu Glu Phe Arg Thr Tyr Asn Tyr 385 390 395 400 Pro Lys Tyr Arg Ala Glu Ala Leu Leu Arg His Ala Pro Arg Leu Glu 405 410 415 Cys Asp Gly Ala Asp Leu Leu Thr Lys Leu Leu Gln Phe Glu Gly Arg 420 425 430 Asn Arg Ile Ser Ala Glu Asp Ala Met Lys His Pro Phe Phe Leu Ser 435 440 445 Leu Gly Glu Arg Ile His Lys Leu Pro Asp Thr Thr Ser Ile Phe Ala 450 455 460 Leu Lys Glu Val Gln Leu Gln Lys Glu Ala Asn Ile Arg Ser Thr Ser 465 470 475 480 Met Pro Asp Ser Gly Arg Pro Ala Phe Arg Val Val Asp Thr Glu Phe 485 490 495 <210> SEQ ID NO 9 <211> LENGTH: 8 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: ARTIFICIAL <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: EAAT4 peptide fragment <400> SEQUENCE: 9 Gln Glu Ala Glu Leu Thr Leu Pro 1 5 <210> SEQ ID NO 10 <211> LENGTH: 9 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: ARTIFICIAL <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: EAAT4 peptide fragment <400> SEQUENCE: 10 Gly Arg Gly Gly Asn Glu Ser Val Met 1 5 <210> SEQ ID NO 11 <211> LENGTH: 234 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ARTIFICIAL <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: EAAT4COOH BAIT nucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 11 gaggacatca cattgatcat agctgtggat tggttccttg atcgacttcg tacgatgacc 60 aatgtacttg gggactcaat tggagcagct gtcattgagc atttgtccca acgggagctg 120 gagctgcaag aggctgagct gactctaccc agcctgggga aaccctataa gtcactcatg 180 gcacaagcca agggggcatc aaggggtcgg ggaggtaatg agagtgtcat gtga 234 <210> SEQ ID NO 12 <211> LENGTH: 77 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: ARTIFICIAL <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: EAAT4COOH BAIT peptide <400> SEQUENCE: 12 Glu Asp Ile Thr Leu Ile Ile Ala Val Asp Trp Phe Leu Asp Arg Leu 1 5 10 15 Arg Thr Met Thr Asn Val Leu Gly Asp Ser Ile Gly Ala Ala Val Ile 20 25 30 Glu His Leu Ser Gln Arg Glu Leu Glu Leu Gln Glu Ala Glu Leu Thr 35 40 45 Leu Pro Ser Leu Gly Lys Pro Tyr Lys Ser Leu Met Ala Gln Ala Lys 50 55 60 Gly Ala Ser Arg Gly Arg Gly Gly Asn Glu Ser Val Met 65 70 75 <210> SEQ ID NO 13 <211> LENGTH: 86 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: ARTIFICIAL <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: EEAC C-TERM BAIT RAT <400> SEQUENCE: 13 Val Asp Trp Leu Leu Asp Arg Phe Arg Thr Met Val Asn Val Leu Gly 1 5 10 15 Asp Ala Phe Gly Thr Gly Ile Val Glu Lys Leu Ser Lys Lys Glu Leu 20 25 30 Glu Gln Val Asp Val Ser Ser Glu Val Asn Ile Val Asn Pro Phe Ala 35 40 45 Leu Glu Pro Thr Ile Leu Asp Asn Glu Asp Ser Asp Thr Lys Lys Ser 50 55 60 Tyr Val Asn Gly Gly Phe Ser Val Asp Lys Ser Asp Thr Ile Ser Phe 65 70 75 80 Thr Gln Thr Ser Gln Phe 85 <210> SEQ ID NO 14 <211> LENGTH: 14 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: ARTIFICIAL <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: synthetic peptides representing EEAT4 C-Terminal Ab epitopes <400> SEQUENCE: 14 Glu Lys Gly Ala Ser Arg Gly Arg Gly Gly Asn Glu Ser Ala 1 5 10 <210> SEQ ID NO 15 <211> LENGTH: 16 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: ARTIFICIAL <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: synthetic peptides representing EEAT4 N-Terminal Ab epitopes <400> SEQUENCE: 15 Lys Asn Ser Leu Phe Leu Arg Glu Ser Gly Ala Gly Gly Gly Cys Leu 1 5 10 15 <210> SEQ ID NO 16 <211> LENGTH: 16 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: ARTIFICIAL <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: synthetic peptides representing rat GTRAP4-41 Ab epitopes <400> SEQUENCE: 16 Lys Arg Gly Pro Ala Pro Ser Pro Met Pro Gln Ser Arg Ser Ser Glu 1 5 10 15 <210> SEQ ID NO 17 <211> LENGTH: 16 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: ARTIFICIAL <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: synthetic peptides representing rat GTRAP4-48 Ab epitopes <400> SEQUENCE: 17 Lys Thr Pro Glu Arg Thr Ser Pro Ser His His Arg Gln Pro Ser Asp 1 5 10 15 <210> SEQ ID NO 18 <211> LENGTH: 16 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: ARTIFICIAL <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: synthetic peptides representing GTRAP3-18 Ab epitopes <400> SEQUENCE: 18 Lys Phe Phe Pro Gly Ser Asp Arg Phe Ala Arg Pro Asp Phe Arg Asp 1 5 10 15 <210> SEQ ID NO 19 <211> LENGTH: 17 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ARTIFICIAL <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: GTRAP3-18 sense oligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 19 gtgaaccttg cccgctc 17 <210> SEQ ID NO 20 <211> LENGTH: 18 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ARTIFICIAL <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: GTRAP3-18 anti-sense oligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 20 gagcggggca aggttcac 18 <210> SEQ ID NO 21 <211> LENGTH: 6222 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Rattus norvegicus <220> FEATURE: <221> NAME/KEY: CDS <222> LOCATION: (487)..(1869) <400> SEQUENCE: 21 gttggccacc atggggatgt accaagtgag actgtaggga aagaaggtgg tgactcgcgt 60 gcctggctac tggctgctgc tcacctcgat gctacaagat tcctagcaag atcaaaactg 120 accattaacc tacctctaca tccccctggc gccgttccag ggccaacgcc acattccctg 180 ctgggcacgc aatggccgca ccccctcccg ctacagaagg ctcttttggt acacgcagtc 240 cgaggtcgcc atggatcgga tgaagaagat caaacggcag ctgtcaatga cactccgagg 300 gggccgaggc atagacaaga ccaatggtgt ccctgagcag ataggcctag atgagagtgg 360 tggtggtggt ggcatgaccc ttggagaagc tcccacccgt gttgcccctg gggaacttcg 420 ctctattcgg ggcccactca gctctgcacc aggtctacct gggtttccca gtctgctcta 480 ggggcc atg tac aca aat gga tac gat gaa gaa ata tat tat att ggg 528 Met Tyr Thr Asn Gly Tyr Asp Glu Glu Ile Tyr Tyr Ile Gly 1 5 10 gga aag aga gtg ttc ttg act cca aag gcc tgg cct ttc cct cac tct 576 Gly Lys Arg Val Phe Leu Thr Pro Lys Ala Trp Pro Phe Pro His Ser 15 20 25 30 gca cca gag att gtg cat gaa gac atg aag atg gga tct gat ggg gag 624 Ala Pro Glu Ile Val His Glu Asp Met Lys Met Gly Ser Asp Gly Glu 35 40 45 agt gac cag gct tca gcc aca tcc tca gat gag gtg cag tct cca gtg 672 Ser Asp Gln Ala Ser Ala Thr Ser Ser Asp Glu Val Gln Ser Pro Val 50 55 60 aga gtg cgc atg cgc aac cac ccc cca cgc aag atc tcc act gag gat 720 Arg Val Arg Met Arg Asn His Pro Pro Arg Lys Ile Ser Thr Glu Asp 65 70 75 atc aac aaa tgc ctg tca cta cca gct gac ata cgg ctg cct gag ggc 768 Ile Asn Lys Cys Leu Ser Leu Pro Ala Asp Ile Arg Leu Pro Glu Gly 80 85 90 tac ctt gag aag ctg acc ctc aat agc ccc atc ggt gat aag cct ctt 816 Tyr Leu Glu Lys Leu Thr Leu Asn Ser Pro Ile Gly Asp Lys Pro Leu 95 100 105 110 agc cgg cgc ctc cgg cca gtc agc ttg tct gag att ggc ttt gga aaa 864 Ser Arg Arg Leu Arg Pro Val Ser Leu Ser Glu Ile Gly Phe Gly Lys 115 120 125 ctg gag acc tac atc aaa cta gac aag ctg ggt gag ggt acc tat gcc 912 Leu Glu Thr Tyr Ile Lys Leu Asp Lys Leu Gly Glu Gly Thr Tyr Ala 130 135 140 act gtc tac aaa ggc aaa agc aag ctc aca gac aac ctt gta gca ctt 960 Thr Val Tyr Lys Gly Lys Ser Lys Leu Thr Asp Asn Leu Val Ala Leu 145 150 155 aag gag atc aga ctg gaa cac gaa gaa ggg gca ccc tgc act gct atc 1008 Lys Glu Ile Arg Leu Glu His Glu Glu Gly Ala Pro Cys Thr Ala Ile 160 165 170 cgg gaa gta tcc ctg ctt aag gac ctc aag cat gcc aac atc gtc aca 1056 Arg Glu Val Ser Leu Leu Lys Asp Leu Lys His Ala Asn Ile Val Thr 175 180 185 190 cta cat gac att atc cac aca gag aag tcc ctc acc ctt gtc ttt gaa 1104 Leu His Asp Ile Ile His Thr Glu Lys Ser Leu Thr Leu Val Phe Glu 195 200 205 tac ttg gac aag gac ctg aag cag tac ctg gat gac tgt gga aat gtc 1152 Tyr Leu Asp Lys Asp Leu Lys Gln Tyr Leu Asp Asp Cys Gly Asn Val 210 215 220 atc aac atg cac aat gtg aaa ctg ttc ctg ttc cag ttg ctc cgt ggc 1200 Ile Asn Met His Asn Val Lys Leu Phe Leu Phe Gln Leu Leu Arg Gly 225 230 235 ctg gcc tac tgc cac agg cag aag gtg cta cac cga gac ctc aag ccc 1248 Leu Ala Tyr Cys His Arg Gln Lys Val Leu His Arg Asp Leu Lys Pro 240 245 250 cag aac cta ctc atc aac gag agg gga gag ctc aaa ctg gca gac ttt 1296 Gln Asn Leu Leu Ile Asn Glu Arg Gly Glu Leu Lys Leu Ala Asp Phe 255 260 265 270 ggc ctg gct tac gcc aag tca att cct act aaa aca tac tcc aac gaa 1344 Gly Leu Ala Tyr Ala Lys Ser Ile Pro Thr Lys Thr Tyr Ser Asn Glu 275 280 285 gtg gtg aca ctg tgg tac cgg ccc cct gac atc tta ctt ggg tcc aca 1392 Val Val Thr Leu Trp Tyr Arg Pro Pro Asp Ile Leu Leu Gly Ser Thr 290 295 300 gac tac tcc ggc caa att gac atg tgg ggt gtt ggc tgc atc ttt tat 1440 Asp Tyr Ser Gly Gln Ile Asp Met Trp Gly Val Gly Cys Ile Phe Tyr 305 310 315 gag atg gcc aca ggc cgg ccc ctc ttc cca ggc tcc aca gtg gaa gaa 1488 Glu Met Ala Thr Gly Arg Pro Leu Phe Pro Gly Ser Thr Val Glu Glu 320 325 330 cag ctg cac ttc atc ttc cgc att ttg gga acc cca act gag gac aca 1536 Gln Leu His Phe Ile Phe Arg Ile Leu Gly Thr Pro Thr Glu Asp Thr 335 340 345 350 tgg cca ggt atc ctg tcc aat gaa gag ttt aga aca tac aac tac ccc 1584 Trp Pro Gly Ile Leu Ser Asn Glu Glu Phe Arg Thr Tyr Asn Tyr Pro 355 360 365 aag tac cga gcc gag gcc ctt ctg agg cat gca ccc cga ctt gaa tgc 1632 Lys Tyr Arg Ala Glu Ala Leu Leu Arg His Ala Pro Arg Leu Glu Cys 370 375 380 gat gga gct gac ctc ctc acc aag ctg ctg cag ttt gag ggt cgc aat 1680 Asp Gly Ala Asp Leu Leu Thr Lys Leu Leu Gln Phe Glu Gly Arg Asn 385 390 395 cgg atc tct gct gag gat gcc atg aaa cat cca ttc ttt ctc agc ttg 1728 Arg Ile Ser Ala Glu Asp Ala Met Lys His Pro Phe Phe Leu Ser Leu 400 405 410 ggg gag cgg atc cac aaa ctt cct gac act act tcc ata ttt gca cta 1776 Gly Glu Arg Ile His Lys Leu Pro Asp Thr Thr Ser Ile Phe Ala Leu 415 420 425 430 aag gag gta cag cta caa aag gag gcc aac att cgg tcc act tct atg 1824 Lys Glu Val Gln Leu Gln Lys Glu Ala Asn Ile Arg Ser Thr Ser Met 435 440 445 cct gac tca ggc agg cca gct ttc cgt gtg gtg gat acc gag ttc 1869 Pro Asp Ser Gly Arg Pro Ala Phe Arg Val Val Asp Thr Glu Phe 450 455 460 taagccaagt tttaagccac agacagacca aggccccagc aggcagcggc tggagggatg 1929 ccacacccct cacaggacag cccccatctg caatcctccc tgcttgttgc ctgcttacct 1989 gcctgagcca cactcccctg ccaacttgtc ccctgccacc tgtccaaaca ccgaactact 2049 ggcctggcct gtcaacccaa ccactggcct gtctgctggg tgctaacaaa gctctcacca 2109 ctactttgct tgatgtgtct gtctctgtct tggtagatgc tggtggaccg aatggccgtg 2169 ccagctttcc acactaaggc taggccttcc cctcttcatc acactctctc ccaggaccac 2229 taccccatgg ccagccaggg gtttggagct agcccaggcc aggctcttaa tcgactttga 2289 ctagaaggta gtgagtgatg ccttgggtct gagcatcatt tgcctgcttc ccacctgtcc 2349 cacttgcctc tgttgtatgg gctttttttt agtttctttt attgtttttt tattatttta 2409 aatgaggttc tcacttttta atgcaatatc tctgtataca gactggttgg gcactactcc 2469 ctgagtgtgg cactcccaca gtattttgtg caatgaagtc ccactcccac cctttgagag 2529 gtagggaccc agaccctatt cagatcctca ccatcactag accctggaat tggctatggg 2589 aaagcatgcc tcagccactc accttcctcc cctacctagc gttcccagct atagggggac 2649 ctgagaacta ccagagagtg ggagatggac atggtggggc ctactttttc cctccttcag 2709 tcccgtagcc agggcctcct tccttctcag ggtcttcccc agcccagctc tgcctagccc 2769 tcctgccctg tcctactcgg tgctgttgag taggggctct gcctggaatc gagcagctta 2829 gtgaggagcc atatataata tgtgcacaag caggaggaca tgtgggagct tgtgcccaat 2889 tgttacaccc caatccctag gagggtcagg caggccaagg acagtctcct ggatggatgg 2949 tttgctcccc ttactccacc ttaagccttg ggacccttaa gcagggtggg agggcaaggg 3009 agggtgccct cctagtgggg tttgggggga ttgggttcct gaatgcacca taatcgctgt 3069 atgaaatatt aaaaaaaagt ctaaagtgaa aaaaaaaaaa aagttggcca ccatggggat 3129 gtaccaagtg agactgtagg gaaagaaggt ggtgactcgc gtgcctggct actggctgct 3189 gctcacctcg atgctacaag attcctagca agatcaaaac tgaccattaa cctacctcta 3249 catccccctg gcgccgttcc agggccaacg ccacattccc tgctgggcac gcaatggccg 3309 caccccctcc cgctacagaa ggctcttttg gtacacgcag tccgaggtcg ccatggatcg 3369 gatgaagaag atcaaacggc agctgtcaat gacactccga gggggccgag gcatagacaa 3429 gaccaatggt gtccctgagc agataggcct agatgagagt ggtggtggtg gtggcatgac 3489 ccttggagaa gctcccaccc gtgttgcccc tggggaactt cgctctattc ggggcccact 3549 cagctctgca ccaggtctac ctgggtttcc cagtctgctc taggggccat gtacacaaat 3609 ggatacgatg aagaaatata ttatattggg ggaaagagag tgttcttgac tccaaaggcc 3669 tggcctttcc ctcactctgc accagagatt gtgcatgaag acatgaagat gggatctgat 3729 ggggagagtg accaggcttc agccacatcc tcagatgagg tgcagtctcc agtgagagtg 3789 cgcatgcgca accacccccc acgcaagatc tccactgagg atatcaacaa atgcctgtca 3849 ctaccagctg acatacggct gcctgagggc taccttgaga agctgaccct caatagcccc 3909 atcggtgata agcctcttag ccggcgcctc cggccagtca gcttgtctga gattggcttt 3969 ggaaaactgg agacctacat caaactagac aagctgggtg agggtaccta tgccactgtc 4029 tacaaaggca aaagcaagct cacagacaac cttgtagcac ttaaggagat cagactggaa 4089 cacgaagaag gggcaccctg cactgctatc cgggaagtat ccctgcttaa ggacctcaag 4149 catgccaaca tcgtcacact acatgacatt atccacacag agaagtccct cacccttgtc 4209 tttgaatact tggacaagga cctgaagcag tacctggatg actgtggaaa tgtcatcaac 4269 atgcacaatg tgaaactgtt cctgttccag ttgctccgtg gcctggccta ctgccacagg 4329 cagaaggtgc tacaccgaga cctcaagccc cagaacctac tcatcaacga gaggggagag 4389 ctcaaactgg cagactttgg cctggcttac gccaagtcaa ttcctactaa aacatactcc 4449 aacgaagtgg tgacactgtg gtaccggccc cctgacatct tacttgggtc cacagactac 4509 tccggccaaa ttgacatgtg gggtgttggc tgcatctttt atgagatggc cacaggccgg 4569 cccctcttcc caggctccac agtggaagaa cagctgcact tcatcttccg cattttggga 4629 accccaactg aggacacatg gccaggtatc ctgtccaatg aagagtttag aacatacaac 4689 taccccaagt accgagccga ggcccttctg aggcatgcac cccgacttga atgcgatgga 4749 gctgacctcc tcaccaagct gctgcagttt gagggtcgca atcggatctc tgctgaggat 4809 gccatgaaac atccattctt tctcagcttg ggggagcgga tccacaaact tcctgacact 4869 acttccatat ttgcactaaa ggaggtacag ctacaaaagg aggccaacat tcggtccact 4929 tctatgcctg actcaggcag gccagctttc cgtgtggtgg ataccgagtt ctaagccaag 4989 ttttaagcca cagacagacc aaggccccag caggcagcgg ctggagggat gccacacccc 5049 tcacaggaca gcccccatct gcaatcctcc ctgcttgttg cctgcttacc tgcctgagcc 5109 acactcccct gccaacttgt cccctgccac ctgtccaaac accgaactac tggcctggcc 5169 tgtcaaccca accactggcc tgtctgctgg gtgctaacaa agctctcacc actactttgc 5229 ttgatgtgtc tgtctctgtc ttggtagatg ctggtggacc gaatggccgt gccagctttc 5289 cacactaagg ctaggccttc ccctcttcat cacactctct cccaggacca ctaccccatg 5349 gccagccagg ggtttggagc tagcccaggc caggctctta atcgactttg actagaaggt 5409 agtgagtgat gccttgggtc tgagcatcat ttgcctgctt cccacctgtc ccacttgcct 5469 ctgttgtatg ggcttttttt tagtttcttt tattgttttt ttattatttt aaatgaggtt 5529 ctcacttttt aatgcaatat ctctgtatac agactggttg ggcactactc cctgagtgtg 5589 gcactcccac agtattttgt gcaatgaagt cccactccca ccctttgaga ggtagggacc 5649 cagaccctat tcagatcctc accatcacta gaccctggaa ttggctatgg gaaagcatgc 5709 ctcagccact caccttcctc ccctacctag cgttcccagc tataggggga cctgagaact 5769 accagagagt gggagatgga catggtgggg cctacttttt ccctccttca gtcccgtagc 5829 cagggcctcc ttccttctca gggtcttccc cagcccagct ctgcctagcc ctcctgccct 5889 gtcctactcg gtgctgttga gtaggggctc tgcctggaat cgagcagctt agtgaggagc 5949 catatataat atgtgcacaa gcaggaggac atgtgggagc ttgtgcccaa ttgttacacc 6009 ccaatcccta ggagggtcag gcaggccaag gacagtctcc tggatggatg gtttgctccc 6069 cttactccac cttaagcctt gggaccctta agcagggtgg gagggcaagg gagggtgccc 6129 tcctagtggg gtttgggggg attgggttcc tgaatgcacc ataatcgctg tatgaaatat 6189 taaaaaaaag tctaaagtga aaaaaaaaaa aaa 6222 <210> SEQ ID NO 22 <211> LENGTH: 461 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Rattus norvegicus <400> SEQUENCE: 22 Met Tyr Thr Asn Gly Tyr Asp Glu Glu Ile Tyr Tyr Ile Gly Gly Lys 1 5 10 15 Arg Val Phe Leu Thr Pro Lys Ala Trp Pro Phe Pro His Ser Ala Pro 20 25 30 Glu Ile Val His Glu Asp Met Lys Met Gly Ser Asp Gly Glu Ser Asp 35 40 45 Gln Ala Ser Ala Thr Ser Ser Asp Glu Val Gln Ser Pro Val Arg Val 50 55 60 Arg Met Arg Asn His Pro Pro Arg Lys Ile Ser Thr Glu Asp Ile Asn 65 70 75 80 Lys Cys Leu Ser Leu Pro Ala Asp Ile Arg Leu Pro Glu Gly Tyr Leu 85 90 95 Glu Lys Leu Thr Leu Asn Ser Pro Ile Gly Asp Lys Pro Leu Ser Arg 100 105 110 Arg Leu Arg Pro Val Ser Leu Ser Glu Ile Gly Phe Gly Lys Leu Glu 115 120 125 Thr Tyr Ile Lys Leu Asp Lys Leu Gly Glu Gly Thr Tyr Ala Thr Val 130 135 140 Tyr Lys Gly Lys Ser Lys Leu Thr Asp Asn Leu Val Ala Leu Lys Glu 145 150 155 160 Ile Arg Leu Glu His Glu Glu Gly Ala Pro Cys Thr Ala Ile Arg Glu 165 170 175 Val Ser Leu Leu Lys Asp Leu Lys His Ala Asn Ile Val Thr Leu His 180 185 190 Asp Ile Ile His Thr Glu Lys Ser Leu Thr Leu Val Phe Glu Tyr Leu 195 200 205 Asp Lys Asp Leu Lys Gln Tyr Leu Asp Asp Cys Gly Asn Val Ile Asn 210 215 220 Met His Asn Val Lys Leu Phe Leu Phe Gln Leu Leu Arg Gly Leu Ala 225 230 235 240 Tyr Cys His Arg Gln Lys Val Leu His Arg Asp Leu Lys Pro Gln Asn 245 250 255 Leu Leu Ile Asn Glu Arg Gly Glu Leu Lys Leu Ala Asp Phe Gly Leu 260 265 270 Ala Tyr Ala Lys Ser Ile Pro Thr Lys Thr Tyr Ser Asn Glu Val Val 275 280 285 Thr Leu Trp Tyr Arg Pro Pro Asp Ile Leu Leu Gly Ser Thr Asp Tyr 290 295 300 Ser Gly Gln Ile Asp Met Trp Gly Val Gly Cys Ile Phe Tyr Glu Met 305 310 315 320 Ala Thr Gly Arg Pro Leu Phe Pro Gly Ser Thr Val Glu Glu Gln Leu 325 330 335 His Phe Ile Phe Arg Ile Leu Gly Thr Pro Thr Glu Asp Thr Trp Pro 340 345 350 Gly Ile Leu Ser Asn Glu Glu Phe Arg Thr Tyr Asn Tyr Pro Lys Tyr 355 360 365 Arg Ala Glu Ala Leu Leu Arg His Ala Pro Arg Leu Glu Cys Asp Gly 370 375 380 Ala Asp Leu Leu Thr Lys Leu Leu Gln Phe Glu Gly Arg Asn Arg Ile 385 390 395 400 Ser Ala Glu Asp Ala Met Lys His Pro Phe Phe Leu Ser Leu Gly Glu 405 410 415 Arg Ile His Lys Leu Pro Asp Thr Thr Ser Ile Phe Ala Leu Lys Glu 420 425 430 Val Gln Leu Gln Lys Glu Ala Asn Ile Arg Ser Thr Ser Met Pro Asp 435 440 445 Ser Gly Arg Pro Ala Phe Arg Val Val Asp Thr Glu Phe 450 455 460 

What is claimed is:
 1. An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of: (a) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4; (b) a polynucleotide of (a), wherein all T's are replaced by U's; (c) a polynucleotide complementary to the full length polynucleotide of (a); and (d) a polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:3.
 2. An expression vector comprising a polynucleotide of claim
 1. 3. The expression vector of claim 2, wherein the vector is virus-derived.
 4. The expression vector of claim 2, wherein the vector is plasmid-derived.
 5. An isolated host cell comprising a vector of claim
 2. 6. A method for producing a polypeptide comprising the steps of: (a) culturing a host cell of claim 5 under conditions suitable for the expression of the polypeptide; and (b) recovering the polypeptide from the host cell culture.
 7. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 1, wherein the polynucleotide encodes a peptide having an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4.
 8. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 1, wherein the polynucleotide has a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:3. 